Brie and Tomato Tart

From: BBC Good Food 101 Veggie Dishes

Ingredients:

• 250 g/9 oz puff pastry
• 2 TBSP olive oil
• 225 g/8 oz courgettes/zucchini (about 2 small ones), cut into thin slices
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 225 g/8 oz brie, cut into thin slices
• 5 tomatoes, cut into thin slices

Directions:

1) Preheat the oven to 200C/Gas 6/fan 180C.
2) Roll out the pastry onto a damp baking sheet.
3) Score the pastry with a knife 2.5 cm/1 in from the edges and prick with a fork, inside of the marks.







4) Heat the oil in a frying pan and add the courgettes/zucchini for 1-2 minutes.







5) Add the oregano and season.
6) Cook for another 1-2 minutes.
7) Allow to cool.







8) Starting at a short end, arrange overlapping rows of Brie, tomatoes and courgettes/zucchini within the cut marks, ending with the Brie.






9) Drizzle the pan juices over it and season.
10) Bake for 25-30 minutes until the pastry is puffed up and the courgettes/zucchini are tender.

Tomato and Chive Tart

 

 From: BBC Good Food 101 Veggie Dishes

 Ingredients:

•  340 g pack shortcrust pastry
• 200 ml creme fraiche
• 2 eggs
• 2 TBSP green or red pesto
• 6 ripe tomatoes, sliced
• 225 g/8 oz cherry tomatoes, halved
• snipped fresh chives

Directions:

1) Preheat the oven to 220C/Gas 7/fan 200C.
2) Roll out the pastry and use to line the base and sides of a baking tin.







3) Mix the creme fraiche, eggs and pesto then season.









4) Pour this creamy mixture over the pastry. You might not use it all.








5) Scatter both kinds of tomato on top, then season.
6) Bake for 20 minutes until set.







7) Toss on some chives.
8) Serve cut into big squares, warm or cold.

Tomato and Feta Tart

From: Veggie Feasts
My favo(u)rite thing that I've made in a long time, and potentially so far for this blog.

Ingredients:

• 350 g (11 1/2 oz) puff pastry, defrosted if frozen
• plain flour, for dusting
• 3 TBSP Pesto
• 250 g (8 oz) baby plum tomatoes, halved
• 100 g (3 1/2 oz) feta cheese, crumbled
• 4 TBSP freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• handful of basil leaves
• salt and black pepper

Directions:
1) Preheat the oven to 220C/425F/Gas Mark 7
2) Roll the pastry out on a lightly floured work surface to form a rectangle 25 x 35 cm (10 x 14 inches).







3) Using a sharp knife, score a 2.5cm (1 inch) border around the edges.








4) Transfer to a baking sheet.









5) Spread the pesto over the pastry.








6) Arrange the tomatoes, feta, and Parmesan over the tart.
7) Season with salt and pepper.








8) Bake for 15-20 minutes, until the pastry is puffed and golden.
9) Remove and add the basil leaves.

Mixed Mushroom Tart

From: Veggie Feasts

Ingredients:

• Pastry
• 200 g (7 oz) plain flour, plus extra for dusting
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 135 g (4 oz) chilled unsalted butter, diced
• 1 egg yolk
• 2 TBSP cold water
• Filling
• 50 g (2 oz) butter
• 6 shallots, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 tsp chopped thyme
• 350 g (11 1/2 oz) mixed mushrooms (I used closed cap and flat because that's all that Tesco had), trimmed and sliced
• 300 ml (1/2 pint) soured cream
• 3 eggs, lightly beaten
• 25 g (1 oz) Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
• Salt and black pepper

Directions:
1) Preheat the oven to 200C/400F
2) Sift the flour and salt into a bowl.
3) Add the butter and rub in with the fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
4) Add the egg yolk and measurement water and bring the mixture together.




5) Wrap in clingfilm and chill for 30 minutes.









6) Roll the pastry out on a lightly floured work surface.
7) Use to line a 25 cm (10 in) fluted flan tin.







8) Prick the base with a fork and chill for 30 minutes.









9) Line the pastry with nonstick baking paper and baking beans (pastry weights). I did not have baking beans so I used coffee cups.
10) Bake for 15 minutes.





11) Remove the paper and beans.
12) Bake for another 15 minutes.
13) Let cool.







14) Melt the butter in a frying pan.










15) Add the shallots, garlic and thyme and cook over a low heat, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes.








16) Increase the heat, add the mushrooms and slat and pepper and cook, stirring for 4-5 minutes until browned.
17) Leave to cool.







18) Scatter over the tart case.








19) Beat the soured cream, eggs, Parmesan and salt and pepper together.






20) Poor over the tart.
21) Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden and just set.

Apple and Blackberry Pastry

National Pastry Day is tomorrow (http://www.thenibble.com/fun/more/facts/holidays-december.asp), but I won't have time then to make something delicious so I did it today!

I don't have a rolling pin, so the presentation is not great due to the dough being thick--but at least I made dough instead of buying it like the cookbook said! (I also think I might not be able to buy it here...Tesco randomly does not have stuff.)

Ingredients:

• Icing Sugar, to dust
• 425g pack ready-rolled shortcrust pastry (or follow the recipe below)
• 2 Bramley apples, peeled, cored and chopped
• 2 TBSP light brown soft sugar
• 150g punnet blackberries
• thick cream, to serve (very English...)

Directions
1) Preheat the oven to 200C/392F.
2) Dust a work surface with icing sugar then unroll the pastry.

3) Cut out four rounds (if possible...) using a small side plate as a template.
4) Combine the apples and sugar with the blackberries.






5) Put a small pile on each pastry circle/line/whatever shape you got.
6) Dampen the edge of the pastry then fold over to encase the fruit.
7) Pinch and fold over the pastry along one edge to make a pasty shape (or just make sure the top is connected so it does not fall apart while baking).



8) Slash each pastry three times (or leave part open...).
9) Place on a baking sheet and cook for 20 minutes or until puffed and golden.
10) Dust with the icing sugar and serve with cream.

Shortcrust Pastry Recipe:
I read here: http://www.deliaonline.com/how-to-cook/baking/how-to-make-shortcrust-pastry.html about how to make it and followed these directions: http://britishfood.about.com/od/recipeindex/r/scpastry.htm but made 1.5x the amount to cover the 425g for the recipe.

Ingredients:

• 300g flour
• 115g butter, cubed
• pinch of salt
• 2-3 TBSP water

Directions
1) Sift the flour.

2) Add the butter and salt.








3) Mix with your hands until you have something similar to breadcrumbs.
4) Add the water and mix with a cold knife (so the dough does not get too warm and ruin itself).






5) Place in plastic wrap.
6) Put in the fridge for 15-30 minutes.