Puff Pastry with Escalivada and Feta Cheese

Patry, author of Sabores&Momentos, brings us a classic in the form of a puff pastry tart: the combination of escalivada with feta cheese is excellent, resulting in a tart that is very easy to make and will please everyone.

I love autumn; it's a season that inspires, invites you to cook, to prepare warmer dishes and to have the oven on at home all the time! Today I bring you a simple recipe that you can prepare in no time if you already have the escalivada ready. Also, while the peppers and eggplants roast in the oven, we can be enjoying time with the little ones or reading a book. That's what I like most about oven cooking: the kitchen doesn't get messy and while it works we relax; that said, keep an eye on our dish so it doesn't burn!

In this case, instead of shortcrust or coca dough, I felt like using a puff pastry, one of those with extra butter that you can find in some large supermarkets and that gives our tart that crispy touch once baked.

Those of you who follow me and already know me know that I am an unconditional fan of savory tarts and quiches, because besides being versatile, they are a simple and delicious dish for when you're in a pinch and need to improvise a lunch or dinner with what you have in the fridge: friends or family arrive and stay, snacks at a friend's house where you want to surprise by bringing a dish, Sunday lunch when you're looking for a simple and light first course... dozens of situations in which almost all of us find ourselves at some point, and to shine with little effort a savory tart is the best wildcard!

Rectangular removable-base tin De Buyer and Pallarès carbon steel knife

For that, nothing better than this fantastic rectangular tin from De Buyer. Since I got it, it's the tin I have used most for my tarts, both savory and sweet. It is of incredible quality which you notice when holding it, and since it is non-stick I don't even have to grease it with butter! I simply line it directly with the pastry and once baked, after a few minutes, I press from below and its removable base pops out my perfect tart without needing to scrape with a knife or spatula to unmold it. The presentation couldn't be more elegant - it dresses a table on its own, don't you think?

Doesn't it make you want to start making savory or sweet tarts to try and find your favorite? Well, let's go for today's recipe!

INGREDIENTS

1 puff pastry sheet
2 red peppers
1 medium eggplant
1 white onion
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Crumbled Feta cheese

PREPARATION

We start by preparing the escalivada. The most common option to cook them is in the oven or on a grill. It's true that the iron grill is my favorite, because the skin of the peppers and eggplants chars on the surface but the flesh doesn't burn, and it gets a flavor and texture that the oven doesn't give. But realistically, the oven is our great ally for most of us when preparing this recipe.

Preheat to about 200 º C and, in my case, to achieve that grill effect, what I do is bake them using the grill option. Wash the peppers and the eggplant and peel the onion.

We place the vegetables on a baking tray, prick the eggplant several times with the tip of a knife so it doesn't explode from the heat and drizzle everything with a little oil. Put into the oven (preferably on the middle rack at 180º). After about 25 minutes, turn each piece and leave for another 30-40 minutes or until we check they are done.

Remove from the oven to a saucepan or shallow pot, cover and set aside for about 20 minutes to make peeling easier. Remove the skin and seeds from the eggplant and the peppers, and remove the outer layers of the onion. It's helpful to have a bowl of water on hand to rinse your hands when skins and seeds stick to your fingers.

Bérard olive wood cutting board

Once peeled, cut them into strips and place in a dish. Add a little salt and oil and reserve until you assemble the tart. You can also cover with cling film and refrigerate until the next day.

To prepare the tart, preheat the oven (if it's not already hot from having prepared the escalivada earlier) to 180º. Line our tin with the puff pastry, making sure to reinforce the tin walls with a double layer of pastry using the scraps from the roll. Prick it with a fork and cover with the well-drained escalivada so as not to soak the pastry. In my case I added more pepper because we love it at home, but you can divide the onion, eggplant and pepper equally.

Sprinkle some flakes of fleur de sel on top, drizzle extra virgin olive oil in a thin stream over the entire tart and distribute the crumbled Feta with your fingers across the surface. Put in the oven and bake for about 20-25 minutes or until the tart is done and the puff pastry is nicely golden.

Once that time has passed, remove from the oven and let rest a few minutes. Unmold and to serve you can add some dressing (salt and oil) if you wish, otherwise as is and accompanied by a salad it will be delightful.

On the left, porcelain round tart tin from Revol and Pallarès carbon steel knife