Roasted Vegetable Tart with Three Cheeses

Do you have a friend who encourages you to just stop by for a last minute thing and then somehow, though nothing seemed to be happening when you got there, has the most delicious meal prepared within a matter of minutes? I do. Her name is Neri. She doesn’t live in the same city but I still feel drawn to the warmth of her orbit and the memories of her food.

Born and raised in Istanbul, Neri makes magic out of vegetables. She rolls cheese and herb borek for impromtu breakfasts, makes gnocchi by hand with the purple potatoes from her allotment. She inspires me to break out of my rotation, to buy and use more cookbooks, to trust myself to keep things simple.

This tart with is inspired by some of the flavours we’ve had at Neri’s over the course of our short but delicious friendship. It’s a simple equation: a mixture of cheeses + a mixture of roasted vegetables + dough. I used eggplant, zucchini, cherry tomatoes and garlic but you could use whatever you have — peppers, fennel, butternut squash. For the cheese, I used ricotta, feta and fresh mozzarella but feel free to experiment with blue cheese, fontina, whatever! I used store-bought puff pastry but any kind of homemade or pre-made dough would work.

Essentially, this tart isn’t a prescription, it’s an inspiration.

ROASTED VEGETABLE TART with THREE CHEESES

This tart is as easy as chopping and roasting a bunch of vegetables, whipping up a mixture of feta and ricotta, then sticking them all on dough, sprinkling on some fresh mozz and baking until done. But I will walk you through it step-by-step anyway. Because I’m nice like that. The components of this tart can all be made way ahead and assembled at the last minute. You can even make this tart a day or two in advance. With a punchily-dressed salad on the side, this would serve 4 as a light meal or brilliant little first course.

1 eggplant (aubergine), cut into small cubes

2 large zucchini (courgette), sliced into 1/2’’-thick rings

a few handfuls of cherry tomatoes, halved

dried oregano (optional but recommended)

4 cloves garlic, peeled

1/2 cup ricotta

1/4 cup feta, crumbled

1 ball fresh mozzarella, drained of any liquid and patted dry

1 sheet store-bought puff pastry

Take the puff pastry out of the fridge so it warms up a bit. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F. Slice and dice your vegetables without being overly precise. I usually roast more than I need so I have extra to throw on salads or on pizzas - they’re really addictive.

ROAST THE VEGETABLES: In a large bowl, toss your chopped vegetables with a few heavy glugs of olive oil and a few (really) generous pinches of coarse salt. Dump the contents of the bowl out onto as many foil-lined baking trays as you need so they aren’t piled on top of each other, and use your fingers to space things out more or less evenly. I usually put the garlic cloves close to the middle so they don’t burn. Sprinkle with a pinch or two of dried oregano if you want.

Roast the chopped vegetables for 30 - 45 minutes or so, or until they’re browning and filling the room with amazing smells. Check them to make sure they’re not burning, especially the garlic.

MAKE THE RICOTTA-FETA MIXTURE: While your vegetables roast, mix the ricotta and feta together with a fork and your hands to really break up the feta and combine them. Really whip them up. Add a bunch of freshly ground pepper and a pinch of salt and set it aside. Another pinch of dried oregano wouldn’t hurt.

ASSEMBLE THE TART: Now lay out the puff pastry (store-bought is totally fine) on a baking tray lined with foil or baking paper. Put a little bit of the cheese mixture on the bottom, leaving an inch around the edge. Evenly spread out the roasted vegetables on top, squeezing out the mushy garlic and spreading it with all over the place with your fingers. If you’ve got too many vegetables, just use them for something else or eat them like candy. Spoon out and roughly spread the ricotta-feta mixture on top, then tear up the fresh mozzarella and sprinkle evenly over the top. If you want, fold the empty edges of the dough in and over a bit. To be super fancy, brush the exposed edges with milk.

Bake in the still-on oven for 30 minutes or so, until the dough is just browning. Allow to cool for at least 15 minutes before slicing and serving.