This Ratatouille Tart highlights the best of the season’s harvest, combining fresh eggplant, zucchini, squash, and red bell pepper atop a flaky puff pastry. With vegetables at their peak, this dish is a flavorful celebration of eating with the seasons, bringing out the natural taste and quality of summer’s bounty.
Ratatouille Tart Recipe
Serves 8
Ingredients:
- 14 ounces of frozen puff pastry, thawed in the refrigerator overnight
- 4-5 Fairytale eggplants – Please Note: if you can’t find fairytale eggplants (the season is short!), you can easily swap for regular eggplants. Just slice pieces smaller.
- 1 small zucchini
- 1 small yellow squash
- 1 red bell pepper
- 1/3 cup tomato sauce
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Fresh thyme sprigs
- 1 cup crumbled feta cheese – we recommend local feta from Winter Hill Farm!
Instructions:
- Preheat the Oven: Set your oven to 375°F.
- Prepare the Puff Pastry: Lightly flour a work surface and roll out the puff pastry until it measures approximately 11 x 15 inches. Transfer the pastry to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Prick the pastry all over with a fork, spacing the pricks about 1 inch apart.
- Add Tomato Base: Spread the tomato puree or sauce evenly over the pastry, leaving a 1-inch border around the edges. Similar to a pizza.
- Prepare the Vegetables: Trim the ends off the eggplant, zucchini, yellow squash, and red pepper. For the red pepper, remove the core while keeping the edges intact, creating a hollow tube. Use a mandoline, adjustable-blade slicer, or a sharp knife to slice the vegetables into thin rounds, about 1/16 inch thick.
- Assemble the Tart: Arrange the vegetable slices in slightly overlapping layers, either concentrically or in rows, on top of the tomato base. Alternate the vegetables for a colorful pattern. You may have some slices left over.
- Season and Bake: Drizzle the arranged vegetables with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Remove the thyme leaves from the stems and sprinkle them over the vegetables.
- Bake: Place the tart in the preheated oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the pastry is puffed and golden brown, including the bottom, and the vegetables are tender.
- Finish and Serve: Once baked, transfer the tart to a cutting board. Sprinkle the crumbled feta cheese over the top. Cut the tart into squares or strips using a knife or a pizza wheel. Serve warm or at room temperature.