I have given you my recipe for this savory tart before and once should be enough. But early in the day, not knowing yet what I'd be making for dinner that night, I found two sweet peppers in my refrigerator and a package of chopped spinach in my freezer. I roasted the peppers, unthawed the spinach and made the tart pastry that I usually make for a savory tart. This was SO GOOD... Really, why don't I make this more often?
My Savory Bacon, Spinach and Roasted Red Pepper Tart
For the Crust:
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 8 tablespoons very cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
• 4 tablespoons ice water
1. Place the flour and salt in the bowl of a food processor and pulse to combine. Add the cold butter and pulse until you have tiny pieces of butter about the size of peas throughout. Pour the ice water in slowly and pulse just until the dough starts to come together. You may need a bit more or a bit less ice water.
2. Turn the mixture out onto a piece of plastic wrap and press into a disc. Wrap and chill for at least 2 hours.
3. Roll dough thinly to fit into an 11-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Wrap in plastic and place in your freezer while you are preheating the oven.
4. Preheat the oven to 400˚F. When the oven is hot, line the pastry shell with foil and fill with rice or dried beans to keep the pastry from puffing-up during baking. Place the tart shell on a baking sheet and bake on the middle rack of the oven for 15 minutes. Remove the foil and rice or beans and return the tart shell to the oven and continue to bake until golden brown. (Watch closely)
5. Remove from the oven and proceed with the filling. Lower the oven temperature to 375˚F.
For the Savory Filling:
• 3 large eggs
• 1 cup whole milk or light cream
• 2 to 3 green (spring) onions, thinly sliced
• Salt and Pepper, to taste
• 3 slices apple-smoked bacon, sliced 1/4-inch and fry until browned and almost crisp, drained of all fat
• 1 package frozen chopped spinach, cooked and squeezed dry
• 1 1/2 cups grated Swiss, Gruyére or Emmental cheese
• 2 roasted sweet red peppers, sliced into 1/4-inch-wide lengths
1. In a medium bowl, whisk the 3 eggs. Add the milk or light cream, salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the sliced green onions. Set aside.
2. Scatter the bacon pieces over the baked tart shell and then evenly distribute the cooked spinach and grated cheese over the bacon. Slowly pour the egg mixture into the shell. Take the roasted pepper slices and arrange in a spoke pattern on top of the tart filling.
3. Return tart to 375˚F oven and bake for 30 minutes, or until the custard is set and the top is just beginning to turn golden.
4. Remove tart from the oven and cool a few minutes before unmolding tart from the pan. Eat warm from the oven or at room temperature.
My Savory Bacon, Spinach and Roasted Red Pepper Tart
For the Crust:
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 8 tablespoons very cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
• 4 tablespoons ice water
1. Place the flour and salt in the bowl of a food processor and pulse to combine. Add the cold butter and pulse until you have tiny pieces of butter about the size of peas throughout. Pour the ice water in slowly and pulse just until the dough starts to come together. You may need a bit more or a bit less ice water.
2. Turn the mixture out onto a piece of plastic wrap and press into a disc. Wrap and chill for at least 2 hours.
3. Roll dough thinly to fit into an 11-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Wrap in plastic and place in your freezer while you are preheating the oven.
4. Preheat the oven to 400˚F. When the oven is hot, line the pastry shell with foil and fill with rice or dried beans to keep the pastry from puffing-up during baking. Place the tart shell on a baking sheet and bake on the middle rack of the oven for 15 minutes. Remove the foil and rice or beans and return the tart shell to the oven and continue to bake until golden brown. (Watch closely)
5. Remove from the oven and proceed with the filling. Lower the oven temperature to 375˚F.
For the Savory Filling:
• 3 large eggs
• 1 cup whole milk or light cream
• 2 to 3 green (spring) onions, thinly sliced
• Salt and Pepper, to taste
• 3 slices apple-smoked bacon, sliced 1/4-inch and fry until browned and almost crisp, drained of all fat
• 1 package frozen chopped spinach, cooked and squeezed dry
• 1 1/2 cups grated Swiss, Gruyére or Emmental cheese
• 2 roasted sweet red peppers, sliced into 1/4-inch-wide lengths
1. In a medium bowl, whisk the 3 eggs. Add the milk or light cream, salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the sliced green onions. Set aside.
2. Scatter the bacon pieces over the baked tart shell and then evenly distribute the cooked spinach and grated cheese over the bacon. Slowly pour the egg mixture into the shell. Take the roasted pepper slices and arrange in a spoke pattern on top of the tart filling.
3. Return tart to 375˚F oven and bake for 30 minutes, or until the custard is set and the top is just beginning to turn golden.
4. Remove tart from the oven and cool a few minutes before unmolding tart from the pan. Eat warm from the oven or at room temperature.
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