Sweet Pepper Tart Recipes

SWEET TART PASTRY

Steps:

• Sift together the flour, sugar, and salt into a bowl.
• Toss butter through flour mixture to coat pieces. Using fingertips, rub fat into flour, working it until you have created a coarse meal with a few pea-size particles of fat.
• Empty crumbs onto a cool surface. Form mixture into a mound. Make a 4 to 5 inch well in center of the mound. Combine egg and vanilla and pour mixture into the well. Using a fork, draw crumbs into egg mixture, about 1 - 2 tablespoons at a time. When all crumbs are added, toss mixture a few times with a pastry blender to form large clumps, then scrape into a mound.
• Using the heel of your hand, push 2 - 3 tablespoons of the dough at a time, outward in 6 to 8 inch sweeps. This will blend fat and flour and give crust a delicate texture. If your hand becomes sticky, flour it as needed. Repeat process until all dough has been worked. Gather dough into a mound again. Repeat procedure 2 more times.
• After third time, flour your hands. Gently knead the dough 5 or 6 times to make it smooth. Shape into a 5 inch disk. Dust disk lightly with flour, score with side of your hand, cover with plastic wrap, refrigerate for 20 minutes before shaping. DO NOT LET DOUGH BECOME TOO HARD or it will be difficult to roll. If this happens, let pastry soften at room temperature.
• Roll out to 1/8 inch thickness. After dough has been rolled, position rolling pin 4 inches from top of the pastry. Lift dough over top of rolling pin and gently roll dough toward you. Lift pastry up. Make sure you keep a finger pressed against barrel of rolling pin to keep it from slipping. Position pastry, leaving about 1 1/2 inches of dough hanging over edge of pan on side closest to you. Then unroll pastry over an ungreased tart pan, moving pin away from you. Immediately lift overhang into pan to prevent sharp edge of the pan from cutting dough.
• Working a small portion of the dough at a time, mold it into crease of the pan. Trim excess pastry from top edge of pan. Chill pastry in refrigerator or freezer for up to 30 minutes. Tear an 18 inch square of tin foil. Make a buttered circle in center of foil 2 inches larger than size of pan. Place foil buttered side down, centering it into the baking pan. Using your hand, press foil flush against the sides.
• Heat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Position shelf in lower third of oven. Fill pan with enough dried beans or baking nuggets to just cover surface of pan. DO NOT OVERFILL. Bake pastry shell on a shallow pan with sides. Bake crust 15 to 18 minutes or until sides begin to brown. Remove pan from the oven. Let stand about 30 seconds. Gently remove foil and beans. Reduce oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Continue to bake crust for 3 to 5 minutes or until it is golden. If bottom of pastry shell puffs up, tap it gently with bottom of a fork to expel the air. Do this carefully so the pastry crust doesn't break. When crust is done, cool completely before filling.

CABBAGE, ONION AND SWEET PEPPER TART

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium heat and add the onion. Cook, stirring, until it begins to soften, about 3 minutes, and add a generous pinch of salt and the peppers. Cook, stirring often, until the onion and peppers are tender, about 5 minutes, and add the cabbage. Stir together, add salt to taste, cover and cook, stirring often, for 20 to 25 minutes, until the cabbage is very tender and sweet. Add the garlic and tomato paste and continue to cook, uncovered, stirring often, for 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper and remove from the heat.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Oil a 10-inch tart pan or cake pan and line with the dough. Whisk the eggs and milk together in a large bowl, add salt and pepper to taste and stir in the vegetables and cheese. Mix together well and scrape into the pie shell.
• Bake 45 to 50 minutes, until the top is lightly browned. Remove from the heat and allow to cool for at least 10 minutes before serving. Serve hot or at room temperature.

SWEET RED PEPPER TART (DESSERT)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 190 deg C / 375 deg F.
• Cook the case for 12 mins or as directed on the package.
• Put everything except the pistachios in the blitzer or stick mixer and blend till smooth and jam-like.
• Put mix in tart shell.
• Cook another 12 mins or so until the edge develops a bit of a skin.
• Pull out, top with pistachios and cook another 10 minutes
• Cool completely and serve cold from the fridge, I serve it plain with a cuppa.

ROASTED BELL PEPPER AND ONION TART

Steps:

• Char peppers over gas flame or in broiler until blackened on all sides. Wrap in paper bag and seal. Let stand 10 minutes. Peel and seed peppers. Cut into 1/3-inch-wide strips.
• Heat oil in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and sauté until just beginning to color, about 12 minutes. Transfer to bowl and cool. (Bell peppers and onion can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover separately and refrigerate.)
• Preheat oven to 425°F. Remove crust from box. Let stand at room temperature 15 minutes to soften. Unfold crust; peel off top plastic sheet. Press out fold lines. If crust cracks, wet fingers and push edges together to seal. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon flour over surface of crust. Place crust, floured side down, in 9-inch-diameter tart pan with removable bottom; peel off second plastic sheet. Fold crust edge in, forming double-thick sides. Pierce dough all over with fork. Bake until light golden, about 10 minutes. Cool crust. Reduce oven temperature to 400°F.
• Arrange onion in crust. Top with bell pepper strips. Sprinkle with basil. Whisk cream, eggs, salt and pepper in medium bowl to blend. Pour custard over vegetables. Bake tart until custard sets, about 20 minutes. Cool tart 5 minutes in pan on rack. Remove pan sides. Cut tart into wedges and serve warm.