Winter Vegetable Tart

Ingredients

• 250g – 300g puff pastry – the ready made/ready rolled is perfect if you don’t want to make your own. Shortcrust or gluten free pastry works well here too.
• 300g ricotta
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 tsp salt Freshly ground black pepper
• 200g approx seasonal green vegetables – a roasted butternut squash and a few handfuls of kale
• 50g grated cheese – mature cheddar is perfect, and well flavoured cheese is good
• A tin, approx 20cm diameter or rectangular tin approx 30cm, x 20cm; the AGA portmerion ‘half size’ rectangular baking tray is perfect

Method

Roll out the pastry if needed to the thickness of a £1 coin and press into the tin. Prick with a fork and chill in the fridge or freezer for a few minutes while you prepare the filling.

In a small bowl, whisk the ricotta gently with a fork until smooth then add the eggs and beat until combined. Season with 1/2 tsp salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Prepare the vegetables as needed – cut the butternut squash in half down the middle and roast (including the seeds and skin) on a baking tray in the roasting oven for 30 – 60 minutes, until tender and slightly charred. Cool and cut into 1 – 2 cm cubes. Tear the kale into little pieces, about 3 cms.

Spread the ricotta mixture evenly across the chilled pastry and put the prepared vegetables on top, spreading them out evenly right into the corners. Top with the grated cheese.

Bake for 18 minutes in the AGA roasting oven, on the floor of the oven (using a floor grid with the fast heat up agas – the AGA 60, eR3, R3, eR7). After 18 minutes, check the tart and turn round if necessary to ensure even colouring. Bake for a further 5 minutes if needed.

Serve warm or cold in larger portions with soup for a winter lunch, or in smaller squares with drinks or as part of a selection of dishes for ‘grazing’.

AGA tips:
Pastry lined tarts like this are so easy in an AGA as there’s no need to blind bake the pastry first – the heat from the floor of the roasting oven will cook the pastry beautifully while the filling cooks on top

Recipe by Na Hansell.