This tart is just so darn pretty and so darn healthy. Plus, it's crazy flavorful, as this is the time of year for tomatoes and zucchini. Definitely do NOT make this in the winter. I can't say this enough - take the time to educate yourself on what produce is in season throughout each part of the year. Your food will be twice as good with zero additional effort.
Tomatoes are a late summer fruit (yes, it's a fruit). A lot of people assume that summer produce is the same throughout the summer. This is not true. Try a peach in June and then try one in mid-August and then tell me with a straight face that they taste the same (peaches, and all stone fruit, are in season during the late summer). They don't. Wait for the good stuff.
When you eat seasonlly, you naturally become more atuned to the flavors and smells of what you are eating. After a whole year without eating something, your senses say "WOW - what the heck was that!" after that first bite. This "shock-value" is key to continually enjoying your food. Boredom is a foodie's (and a health nut's) worst nightmare.
Plus, seasonal produce is crazy cheap. I know you know what I mean. It's like when you buy apples in the fall and they are like .89 cents a pound. This is because they are in season. It's a winning situation. Better taste and cheaper.
CORNMEAL CRUST RATATOUILLE TART
( Ellie Krieger)
Crust: 2/3 cup yellow cornmeal
1/3 cup whole-grain pastry flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons canola oil
3 tablespoons water
Filling:
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon olive oil
2 shallots, thinly sliced (about 1/3 cup)
Cooking spray
1/2 pound thinly sliced eggplant rounds (about 1/3 medium eggplant) (I don't love eggplant, so I just didn't use any and used more zucchini instead)
1 zucchini, sliced into 1/8-inch rounds (about 8 ounces)
3 medium tomatoes, sliced thinly
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 ounces shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup shredded fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan
For the crust: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Combine cornmeal, pastry flour, and salt in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse to incorporate. Add butter and oil and pulse about 20 times, until mixture resembles small pebbles. Add water and pulse until mixture forms a loose dough. Remove dough from processor and press into bottom and about 1/8-inch up the sides of a 9-inch tart pan with a detachable rim. Press aluminum foil into the bottom and sides of the pan on top of the dough and weigh down with uncooked rice or pie weights. Place tart pan on a baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and remove rice and foil. Return to oven and bake for an additional 5 minutes, or until no longer shiny and wet. Remove from oven and let cool.
For the filling: Increase the oven to 400 degrees F. Heat 1 teaspoon of olive oil in a nonstick pan over medium heat; saute shallots until soft, about 5 to 6 minutes. Spray 2 baking trays with cooking spray. Arrange the eggplant, zucchini and tomato slices on the trays in a single layer and brush with the remaining olive oil. Season with salt and pepper, and roast the vegetables until soft but not browned, about 15 minutes. Remove the vegetables from oven and cool.
Lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Lay the eggplant slices in 2 layers on the bottom of tart; cover with 1/3 of the mozzarella cheese and some of the shredded basil. Add the zucchini and shallots, top with another 1/3 of the mozzarella and basil, then the tomatoes. Top with rest of the mozzarella cheese and the Parmesan. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until cheese is melted and vegetables have further wilted. Remove from oven, let cool for 5 minutes, and cut into 8 slices. Serve warm.
