Darina Allen's Gluten-Free Roast Pepper and Feta Tart with Basil Pesto
An irresistible summer tart, you might like to substitute goat cheese or buffalo mozzarella for feta occasionally.
Serves 6
2 red peppers
1 tablespoon Extra virgin olive oil
1/2 quantity Rosemary’s Savoury Pastry (see recipe)
egg wash
175g (6 ozs) feta cheese
approximately 10 basil leaves
salt, freshly ground black pepper and sugar (or balsamic vinegar)
8 tablespoons Tomato Fondue (see recipe)
2-3 tablespoons Basil Pesto (see recipe)
1 x 18cm (7in) quiche tin or flan ring or 6 x 12cm/5in tartlet tins with low sides
Preheat the oven to 250°C/475°F/gas mark 9.
First roast the red peppers. Put them on a baking tray, rub with a little olive oil and bake in a hot oven for 20-30 minutes, until they are soft and the skin blisters. Put them in a bowl and cover with cling film. Allow to cool. Peel the peppers and remove the stalk and seeds and cut into strips. (Don’t wash away the sweet juices.)
Reduce the oven temperature to 180°C/350°F/gas mark 4.
Make the savoury pastry in the usual way. Roll out the pastry on a very lightly rice floured board. Line the tin with the pastry to a thickness of about 3mm (1/8in). Line to the top with parchment paper and fill to the top with baking beans. Chill the pastry for a further 15-20 minutes and then bake the tart base blind for 15 minutes or until pale golden.
Remove the beans and paper, brush the tart shell with a little beaten egg and return to the oven for a further 2 minutes. This seals the pastry and helps to avoid a soggy bottom.
Crumble the feta cheese using the tips of your fingers and spread half the cheese over the base of the pastry. Arrange a layer of roasted red pepper strips and basil leaves on top. Season with a little salt and freshly ground black pepper and a sprinkle of sugar or balsamic vinegar (take care when seasoning as feta is quite salty). Cover with a layer of Tomato Fondue and spread the remaining feta cheese over.
Return the tart to the oven for 10-15 minutes until it is hot and bubbly. Drizzle the tart generously with wild garlic pesto and serve immediately with a salad of rocket leaves or a good green salad.
Rosemary Kearney’s Savoury Pastry
Makes 425g (15oz)
75g (3oz) rice flour
75g (3oz) fine ground cornmeal
75g (3oz) potato flour
1 heaped teaspoon xanthan gum
pinch of salt
150g (5oz/1 1/4 sticks) butter
1 egg, preferably free-range mixed with 2 tablespoons of cold water
Sift the rice flour, fine ground cornmeal, potato flour, xanthan gum and salt into a large bowl and mix well. Cut the butter into cubes and gently rub into the flour mixture. When the mixture looks like coarse breadcrumbs, stop. Whisk the egg and add the water.
Make a well in the centre and carefully add some of the egg/water mixture, using a fork or knife to bring the pastry together - you may not require all of the liquid, so add it with caution!
Discard the fork or knife and collect the pastry into a ball with your hands. This way you can judge more accurately if you need a few more drops of egg liquid. Although slightly damp pastry is easier to roll out, the resulting crust can be tough and may well shrink out of shape as the water evaporates in the oven. Drier and more difficult-to-handle pastry will give a crisper shorter crust.
On a very lightly rice floured board, gently knead the dough with the heel of your hand for a few minutes to form a silky smooth ball of dough. Flatten slightly, wrap in cling film and refrigerate for about 30 minutes. This will make the pastry much less elastic and easier to roll.
When it has chilled enough, roll it out (between 2 sheets of parchment paper if necessary to stop it sticking) and use as required.
Copyright Ballymaloe Cookery School
