Ratatouille, a classic. Summer is filled with eggplant, tomatoes, and squash. This recipe is a little take on traditional. Typically in ratatouille you have tomatoes, eggplant, zucchini, onion which are stewed together. This recipe takes the same ingredients but with a slightly different approach. The result is something familiar but a little different. I made this recipe for one of the Kennedy family members that came to dinner and I will say that all the guests cleaned their plates. Always a great sign of a good dish. Here is the recipe I hope you enjoy it!
Ratatouille Tart
1 large eggplant roasted or 3 japanese eggplant
2 tbsp of creme fraiche
1 zucchini sliced thin
1 onion lightly grilled
2 heirloom tomatoes sliced 1/4 inch thick
1/2 cup cherry tomatoes cut in half
Charred tomato butter
6 tomatoes grilled
1 tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup of cream
1 stick of butter
4 leaves of fresh basil
salt and pepper to taste
1 Puff pastry Du pont
4 ring molds
Garnish, basil leaves, oregano flowers, chive blossoms, and olive oil
For the eggplant,
You want to roast the eggplant. 3 simple ways to do this. You can either place the eggplant in an oven at 425 degrees and roast until tender. Second option: if you have a gas stove simple turn on the burner and place the eggplant directly on the flame and rotate occasionally (it doesn't matter if the eggplant gets completely charred on the outside, it will be peeled ). Third option: is the same as the last except on your grill.
Once roasted place in a bowl and cover with a plastic for 30 minutes to allow to keep steaming. Then peel the skin off the eggplant and mash with a fork or hand blender until smooth. Add creme fraiche and season with salt and pepper
For the charred tomato butter,
Take tomatoes and cut in half. Drizzle with olive oil and salt. Place on the hot part of the grill and grill for 3-4 minutes until charred a bit. Place the grilled tomatoes in a small pot and add cream. Cook for 5 minutes on low heat, then add to vita mix with basil and puree until smooth. Slowly add the butter to the blender until all is incorporated. Season with salt and pepper and keep warm.
For the tart,
Take 4 large ring molds and place on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Spray the inside of the ring molds with non-stick spray. Take two sizes bigger of the ring molds you have on the sheet pan and cut a round disk (you can use a small round plate if you don't have ring molds) Place the disks of puff pastry inside each of the ring molds. You should have something that looks like a tart shell.
Now place a few spoons of the eggplant puree into the bottom of the dough. Then add slices of raw zucchini on top, season lightly with salt. Then add a lightly grilled slice of onion on top of the zucchini slices. Finish with a slice of tomato. Again season each one with a little salt and pepper. Now place the sheet pan in a preheated oven at 400 degrees. Cook for about 40 minutes or until the dough is golden brown and cooked through. Take out and let it cool for 10 minutes and then cut around the inside of the molds to release the tart from the ring molds.
To finish,
Simply place a spoonful of the sauce on the plate. Then add the tart on top of the sauce. Add a few fresh cherry tomatoes on top and drizzle with olive oil and salt. Finish with fresh herbs. Serve and enjoy!
