Rustic Tomato Tart

This rustic tart is buttery, bright, and lightly spiced. Its creamy filling is cauliflower-based and swirled with fresh herbs, lemon zest, and flaked red pepper. Top with your favorite in-season vegetables to add texture, color, and an extra burst of summer. (Photo source: Josie Braaten)

| Yield: 6 Servings | Time: 1 hour 30 minutes |

Ingredients

Crust

12 in. diameter vegan puff pastry

Filling

4 1/2 cups cauliflower

4-6 cloves roasted garlic (see below for instructions)

3 tablespoons vegan yogurt (plain)

1 tablespoon vegan butter or olive oil

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

2 tablespoons chives or other in-season herb (chopped fine)

1 tablespoon lemon zest

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Toppings

1/2 red pepper (sliced)

1/2 orange pepper (sliced)

1/2 cup heirloom tomatoes (sliced)

2 green onions (sliced)

Optional: fresh leafy greens

* Substitute any of the above for your favorite seasonal vegetables.

To roast the garlic- best done while the crust is pre-baking. Pre-heat oven to 425F degrees. Trim the pointed end off the garlic head and remove loose garlic paper. Separate the cloves without breaking apart the head. Wrap the head in aluminum foil and roast until the cloves can be pierced with a fork (20-25 minutes). Let stand cool before peeling and using

Preparation

For the crust

Preheat the oven to 425F. For pre-made pastry, thaw according to package instructions. Once the dough is ready, transfer it to an oven-safe skillet. Smooth the dough until it is snug and even in the baking dish. Gently press along the rim of the baking dish to secure the dough, then trim off the excess.

Using a fork, gently poke the bottom of the bottom of the pastry case (5-10 times). Lay a piece of parchment paper across the bottom of the pastry shell and anchor it with a scattering of dry beans or baking weights.

Bake for 7 minutes. Remove the parchment paper and baking beans, and bake for 4 additional minutes. Set aside, and reduce the oven temperature to 400F.

For the filling

Steam the cauliflower until easily pierced with a fork. Use a food processor or immersion blender to puree the cauliflower, roasted garlic, yogurt, and butter/olive oil. Transfer to a large mixing bowl and stir in the chives (or other herbs), lemon zest, salt, and red pepper flakes.

Using a rubber spatula, transfer the cauliflower mixture to the pastry shell and spread until the pastry shell is evenly filled. Cover lightly with foil and bake for 25 minutes.

For the toppings

Steam the peppers and green onions until just tender. Pre-cooking these vegetables will prevent the tart from absorbing moisture and becoming soggy.

To finish

Remove the foil and arrange the peppers, onions, and tomatoes on top of the tart. Return the tart to the oven (without foil) and bake for an additional 15-20 minutes.

To serve

Let the tart rest for approximately 10 minutes before serving. If desired, top with your favorite in-season leafy greens, extra tomatoes, and fresh ground pepper.

Zero waste tips

Save the foil to reuse later for future baking, grilling, or wrapping on-the-go meals to keep them warm
Compost whatever scraps you can’t use—yes, you can even do this in a small urban apartment!
Dried beans can still be soaked and cooked after being used once as pie weights (just cook for an extra 10 minutes). Otherwise, set the beans aside, label them, and re-use them indefinitely for more pies.