Ancient Grains for Modern Meals - Maria Speck [102]
5 To partially bake the crust, carefully place the sheet with the tart pan in the oven (it can slide!) and bake until the crust just starts to pull away from the sides, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from the oven, and carefully slide the tart pan onto a wire rack. Remove the parchment paper with the pie weights. Allow the crust to cool to room temperature before filling.
To fully bake the crust, carefully place the sheet with the tart pan in the oven and bake for 10 minutes. Remove the parchment paper with the pie weights and continue baking until the crust has pulled away from the sides, the center is dry to the touch, and the edges just begin to brown, 15 to 17 more minutes. Remove from the oven, and carefully slide the tart pan onto a wire rack. Allow the crust to cool to room temperature before filling.
TO GET A HEAD START: You can partially or fully bake the crust 1 day ahead (or freeze up to 1 month). Store at room temperature under a cake dome, or loosely covered with plastic wrap.
TO VARY IT: Add 1 teaspoon ground cumin or coriander to the flour mixture in step 2 for an aromatic twist.
HOW TO UNMOLD A TART
Wearing oven mitts, carefully center the tart pan on top of a 28-ounce can; the outer ring will drop. The tart can now be served with the bottom part still underneath. If you like (I never bother), you can slide the tart onto a serving plate by running a long spatula between the bottom of the pan and the crust and then transferring it to the plate.
Sardine Tart with Sweet Bell Peppers and Currants
Marrying sardines with yellow and red bell peppers, currants, and olives makes for an opulent fusion of sweet, salty and briny flavors. I don’t use many cans in my cooking, but here they are a great time saver. If you make the olive oil crust ahead, this is on the table fast. Pair the tart with a salad of leafy greens such as a mesclun mix or butter lettuce, to be followed by Greek Yogurt Ice Cream for dessert or, on a more festive occasion, Riesling Zabaglione over Red Currants. When you serve a crowd, this is a magnificent appetizer with a glass of white wine. SERVES 3 OR 4 AS A MAIN COURSE, OR 8 AS A STARTER
BELL PEPPER FILLING
1 or 2 lemons
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup red bell peppers, cut into ¼-inch dice (about ½ medium)
1 cup yellow bell peppers, cut into ¼-inch dice (about ½ medium)
1½ cups thinly sliced leeks, white and light green parts (about 1 medium)
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
½ cup pitted and chopped oil-packed black olives (about 20 olives)
½ cup dried currants
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
½ teaspoon sugar
TO FINISH
Easy Whole Wheat and Olive Oil Tart Shell, preferably with cumin, fully baked, using a 9½-inch metal tart pan with removable bottom
1 cup plain whole-milk or lowfat Greek yogurt
2 (3.75-ounce) cans sardines, preferably oil-packed, drained
Extra-virgin olive oil, for brushing
¼ cup crumbled mild feta cheese, preferably sheep’s milk
1 To make the filling, prepare the bell pepper filling. Finely grate the lemons until you have 1 tablespoon zest. Press 1 lemon until you have 2 tablespoons juice (reserve the remaining lemon for another use).
2 Heat the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium to medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the bell peppers, leeks, and salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables soften, about 5 minutes. Stir in the olives, currants, lemon juice, zest, and pepper; cook, stirring, until the juice has evaporated, about 2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the sugar. Taste for salt and pepper and adjust (I like this quite peppery), but keeping in mind that you will add salty feta cheese.
3 To finish, place a rack about 6 inches below the broiler and preheat for about 5 minutes. Place the tart pan with the crust on a large rimless baking sheet for easier handling. Using the back of a spoon, spread the yogurt