This versatile roasted vegetable tart from Yotam Ottolenghi can be adapted to the bounty of the season, and will always taste delicious.
Here’s a fantastic – and easy to make – tart recipe from Ottolenghi, chef Yotam Ottolenghi’s world-renowned café in London. This vegetable-packed tart is so flavorful, you won’t even miss the meat.
I prepared this delightful tart for dinner last evening for my son and daughter-in-law. It made for a deliciously light, Mediterranean-inspired meal, accompanied by salad and crusty bread. The tart is brimming with vegetables like eggplant, zucchini, bell peppers, sweet potatoes, onions, and tomatoes, all nestled together with a filling made from ricotta and feta cheeses, eggs, and cream.
While assembling the tart takes some time due to the chopping and roasting of vegetables, much of the preparation can be done earlier in the day. Using a store-bought crust can also cut down on time. I opted for a homemade crust this time, but with the vegetables and cheeses being the main attraction, a homemade crust might not be necessary next time.
Feel free to switch out the vegetables based on what you have or prefer. The thyme can also be swapped for rosemary, basil, or a mix of herbs. For a quicker alternative, use jarred roasted peppers instead of fresh ones, and consider using goat cheese instead of ricotta for a different flavor profile. As you can see, this recipe isn’t just delicious; it’s super adaptable.
How to Make Ottolenghi’s Very Full Roasted Vegetable Tart
Preheat the Oven:
- Set your oven to 450°F (230°C).
- Prepare a large baking sheet by lining it with foil.
Peppers:
- Place halved red and yellow bell peppers on one side of the baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil.
Other Veggies:
- On the other side, toss eggplant and sweet potatoes with olive oil, salt, and pepper.
- Roast for 24 minutes, adding zucchini halfway through.
Roast and Rest:
- After roasting, cover peppers with foil to cool.
- Peel off the skins once cool and chop into pieces.
Caramelize Onions:
- In a skillet, sauté onions with bay leaves and salt in olive oil until golden brown, about 25 minutes.
- Remove bay leaves.
Prepare Tart Pan:
- Reduce oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a 11-inch tart pan with pastry.
- Blind bake with parchment and baking beans for 15 minutes, then remove beans and bake for another 5-8 minutes until golden.
Layer Ingredients:
- Spread caramelized onions, followed by roasted vegetables, half the thyme, chunks of both cheeses, and tomato halves.
Add Custard:
- Whisk together eggs, half-and-half, salt, and pepper. Pour over the tart.
Bake the Tart:
- Bake for 35-45 minutes until set and golden.
- Allow to cool for at least 10 minutes before serving.
Recipe Notes
- Ensure vegetables are evenly cut for uniform cooking.
- Blind baking the crust prevents it from becoming soggy.
- Let the tart set before cutting to maintain its structure.
Yield, Prep Time, Cook Time
- Yield: Serves 8
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 90 minutes
Ottolenghi’s Very Full Roasted Vegetable Tart
- Total Time: 1 hour 50 minutes
- Yield: 6-8 1x
Description
This versatile roasted vegetable tart from Yotam Ottolenghi can be adapted to the bounty of the season, and will always taste delicious.
Ingredients
For the Roasted Vegetables:
- 1 red bell pepper, halved and seeded
- 1 yellow bell pepper, halved and seeded
- 1 medium eggplant (aubergine), cut into 1-inch dice
- 2 medium sweet potatoes (kumara), peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice
- 1 medium zucchini (courgette), cut into 1/2-inch dice
- 2 medium onions, cut into thin wedges
- 5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- Sea salt, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 bay leaves
For the Tart:
- 1 pre-made or homemade pie or shortcrust pastry
- 8 fresh thyme sprigs, leaves picked
- 4 ounces ricotta cheese
- 4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
- 8 cherry tomatoes, halved
For the Custard:
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup half and half
Instructions
Preparation:
- Preheat the Oven: Set your oven to 450°F (230°C). Prepare a large baking sheet by lining it with foil.
- Prepare the Vegetables:
- Peppers: Place halved red and yellow bell peppers on one side of the baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil.
- Other Veggies: On the other side, toss eggplant and sweet potatoes with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Roast for 24 minutes, adding zucchini halfway through.
- Roast and Rest: After roasting, cover peppers with foil to cool. Peel off the skins once cool and chop into pieces.
- Caramelize Onions: In a skillet, sauté onions with bay leaves and salt in olive oil until golden brown, about 25 minutes. Remove bay leaves.
- Prepare Tart Pan: Reduce oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a 11-inch tart pan with pastry. Blind bake with parchment and baking beans for 15 minutes, then remove beans and bake for another 5-8 minutes until golden.
- Assemble the Tart:
- Layer Ingredients: Spread caramelized onions, followed by roasted vegetables, half the thyme, chunks of both cheeses, and tomato halves.
- Add Custard: Whisk together eggs, half-and-half, salt, and pepper. Pour over the tart.
- Bake the Tart: Bake for 35-45 minutes until set and golden. Allow to cool for at least 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Ensure vegetables are evenly cut for uniform cooking.
- Blind baking the crust prevents it from becoming soggy.
- Let the tart set before cutting to maintain its structure.
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Cook Time: 90 mins
- Category: Main
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
This is the most beautiful tart I’ve seen lately!
ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS- DELICIOUS – well worth the effort
How amazing did this turn out? Super-Amazing!
This was my first time making a tart! I used jarred peppers, which saved a lot of time. Absolutely delicious, thank you!
Loved the idea of using what’s in season for this tart. I used sweet basil instead of thyme and it turned out beautifully aromatic. This is going into my regular rotation.
Great to hear that, basil sounds like an awesome idea!
My wife and I really enjoyed this tart. The combination of feta and ricotta cheeses with the roasted veggies was perfect. Next time, I’ll try adding some artichokes.
That’s awesome Tom, thanks for the comment! Let us know how it works out with artichokes – I’m sure it’ll be delicious!
Note that the baking temperature of 375 F is 190 C, not 160!!!
That’s 100% correct Lucy, thank you for catching. Your comment led us to updating the whole recipe and step by step guide. Thank you again!
This tart is a masterpiece!