Shawn Michaels Ratatouille Tartlet Recipes

RATATOUILLE TARTS

Steps:

• Place oil in a large skillet set over medium heat. Add onion, sweet pepper, eggplant and zucchini; cook until tender, about 5 min. Add pasta sauce, wine, sugar and 2 tbsp (30 mL) of cold water. Bring to a simmer; simmer for 5 min. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.
• Bake tart shells as per package directions; let cool to room temperature.
• Remove tarts from foil liners; place on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Divide ratatouille mixture among tarts; sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake in a 350°F (180°C) oven for 10 min. or until filling is heated through.

RATATOUILLE TART WITH CARAMELIZED ONION-TOMATO JAM

Steps:

• In a high-sided saute pan with a lid, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions, season with the salt, cover and cook until they are wilted and soft, about 10 minutes. Remove the lid and cook the onions until they are golden and caramelized, stirring often, about 20 minutes more.
• Stir in the garlic and saute 1 to 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook an additional 10 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients, bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce the heat to a simmer. Stirring consistently, cook until the tomatoes breakdown and the jam becomes thick, about 20 minutes.
• Yield: 3 cups
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Roll the puff pastry out on a floured surface to a rectangular shape, about 12 by 10 1/2 inches. Transfer the pastry sheet to a parchment-lined baking sheet. With the tines of a fork, dock a 1/2-inch border around the edge of the sheet and dock the center of the sheet a few times as well. This will prevent the dough from rising as it cooks.
• Spread the Caramelized Onion-Tomato Jam evenly over the pastry, leaving a small border around the edge of the pastry. Layer the tomatoes, eggplant, yellow squash and zucchini in overlapping rows, or in whatever pattern you like. Sprinkle the roasted red peppers around the tart. Drizzle the assembled tart with a little olive oil, making sure to brush a little on the edges, season with salt and pepper and top with half of the fresh oregano.
• Bake until the pastry is golden brown and puffed, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and immediately sprinkle with the goat cheese and the remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons oregano before serving.

RATATOUILLE TART

Steps:

• Press pie dough into 9" tart pan. Press dough into pan's fluted edge, trim excess. Cover dart shell with aluminum foil and fill with dried beans or baking weights. Bake according to package instructions. Let cool 5 minutes and remove weights. (you may do this earlier in the day, and hold at room temperature til needed).
• Slice veges into 1/8" slices - a mandoline is very handy for this. Pat dry with paper towels. Sprinkle cheese and basil over bottom of tart.
• Arrange vegetables around the edge of tart shell, repeatedly overlapping 2 slices each of zucchini, yellow squash, red bell pepper, and onion. (the onion tends to fall apart - just use a generous pinch of shreds.) Arrange a smaller circle inside the first. Put onions in the center, covered by more squash.
• Drizzle the tart with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Bake until tart is golden brown around the edges, about 30 minutes.

RATATOUILLE TART WITH FLAKY CHEDDAR & THYME PASTRY

Steps:

• The night before making the tart, wrap the butter for the pastry in foil, and freeze until solid - this will make it easier to grate. To make the pastry, put the flour in a large bowl and mix in half the polenta, the cheese, thyme (reserving a few leaves to serve) and a good pinch of salt. Using a coarse cheese grater, grate in the frozen butter - try to handle it as little as possible so it doesn't get soft - and stir it in with a knife as you go. Give the mixture one last stir to make sure all the butter is coated with flour, then quickly stir in 125ml very cold water. Gently bring together with your hands (splashing in a little more water if it looks dry), then wrap in baking parchmentand chill for 30 mins.
• Slice the tomatoes to roughly the thickness of a £1 coin (use a mandoline, if you have one). Reserve about half of the tomato slices for the top of the tart, then roughly chop the rest into chunks.
• Heat the grill to high (or you can use the flame of a gas hob). Pierce the aubergine four or five times with the tip of a knife and grill (or hold over the gas flame using tongs), turning often, for 8-10 mins, or until the skin is charred and the aubergine is soft and collapsing. Leave to cool a little.
• Heat half the oil in a pan over a low-medium heat, and cook the onions with a pinch of salt for 10 mins until the onions start to caramelise. Meanwhile, scrape the skin off the aubergine (don't worry if some pieces cling to the flesh - it will add a smoky flavour). Roughly chop the aubergine flesh.
• Add the garlic and aubergine to the onions and cook for another 5 mins, or until any liquid released from the aubergine has evaporated. Add the chopped tomatoes and sugar, season, and continue to cook for 5-10 mins until thickened. Leave to cool, then chill until ready to use. Can be prepared up to a day ahead.
• Slice the courgettes to roughly the thickness of a £1 coin. Put in a bowl and toss with a good pinch of salt. Leave for 10 mins.
• Remove the pastry from the fridge. Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6 with a baking tray inside (or a 30cm shallow skillet pan, if you have one). Roll the pastry out on a large sheet of baking parchment dusted with a little flour, to a circle about 35cm wide. Trim the edge if you want a neat finish.
• Drain any liquid from the courgettes, then tip onto a plate lined with kitchen paper. Pat dry to remove as much moisture as you can. Sprinkle the remaining polenta over the pastry, then top with the chilled tomato and aubergine mix. Spread it out using the back of a spoon, leaving a 3cm border around the edge.
• Arrange the reserved tomato slices and the courgettes in overlapping concentric circles on top of the tart. Brush the vegetables with the remaining oil, season and sprinkle with the parmesan. Fold the pastry edge over the veg slightly, pressing gently to seal. Brush the pastry edge with the beaten yolk.
• Carefully slide the tart, still on the baking parchment, onto the hot tray or into the skillet pan. Bake for 45 mins until golden, then scatter with the extra thyme leaves, if using. Leave to cool a little and serve just warm, or at room temperature.

SHAWN MICHAEL'S RATATOUILLE TARTLET

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 200°C, 400°F, Gas 6.
• For the pastry, sift the flours and salt together then rub in the Pure until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
• Add the water 1 tbsp at a time and mix to a soft dough. Wrap in clingfilm and chill for 15 minutes in the freezer.
• For the filling, melt half of the Pure in a frying pan and cook the aubergine until golden. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. Add the remaining Pure, onion, garlic, courgette, red pepper, thyme and oregano then fry for 5 minutes. Season then stir in the tinned tomatoes, olives and aubergine. Bring to the boil and simmer for 25 minutes.
• Meanwhile, lightly grease four 7.5cm/3in tartlet tins with Pure. Roll out the pastry and cut out 4 circles and use to line the tins. Prick the pastry lightly with a fork and bake blind for 15 minutes or until lightly golden.
• Fill with the ratatouille mix and divide the cherry tomatoes between the tartlets. Put back in the oven for 12-15 minutes. Serve garnished with chopped parsley.