Roasted Vegetable Tart
Some days you just want some good-ole roasted tasty veggies! Why not take them to the next level and put all of those delicious flavors on top of some puff pastry and call it a meal!?
This week we celebrate Rich’s birthday & he is “the world’s worst vegetarian” – he loves everything about the flavors of vegetarian food but enjoys meat too much to ever go “cold turkey” (especially since he likes his turkey warm – wow, sorry about these bad jokes). 
ANYWAY – for his birthday this year (as I am short on time and long on school days, activities, & wedding planning) I decided to just throw together the most amazing (vegetarian) combination of flavors from Grilled Eggplant, Roasted Tomatoes & Red Peppers, and Pesto and put them on the previously-mentioned Puff Pastry. I then served that along with a delicious fresh salad and had one of the best tasting, yet easiest, meals we have had in a while!
This “recipe” can be adapted to fit the vegetables you like the most (and are in season) as well as switched up with the cheeses you use. Get Creative & Get Eating!
Roasted Vegetable Puff Pastry Tart
as adapted from All Recipes
- 1/2 (17.3 ounce) package Puff Pastry Sheets (1 sheet)
- 1 egg + 1 tablespoon water
- approx. 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, sliced
- 1 eggplant – cut in 1/2-inch thick slices
- 1 pint (or more) Cherry/Grape Tomatoes
- 1 – 2 tablespoons pesto sauce (regular or garlic)
- 4 ounces cheese (mozzarella, goat, or other)
- 1 whole roasted sweet pepper , drained and cut into thin strips
Thaw the pastry sheet at room temperature, until it’s easy to handle. Lightly grease or line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Stir the egg and water with a fork in a small bowl. Unfold the pastry sheet on a lightly floured surface. Roll the sheet into a 13×11-inch rectangle (or just carefully put onto your greased pan). Brush the edges of the rectangle with the egg mixture. Prick the pastry thoroughly with a fork. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Heat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Grill (I use the George Foreman lightly greased) the eggplant (feel free to also use zucchini & squash) – it only needs a few minutes. Roast your cherry tomatoes & garlic (line a baking pan with foil, place garlic and tomatoes in pan then drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt) for about 20 minutes until they are popping and smell delicious!
Spread the pesto on the pastry. Arrange the vegetables in rows (so it looks nice but also close together enough that the flavor is is every bite) – eggplant then tomatoes, and finally the peppers. Top with the cheese (this time I used a combination of Fresh Mozzarella and Smoked Mozzarella). Bake for 20 minutes or until golden.
One Year Ago – 2011 Version of Rich’s Birthday, a Chocolate Cake Cheesecake!
And I leave you with this, Today’s Question of the Day… what flavor combination do you never tire of or find yourself trying to use in new ways?