Eggplant and Goat Cheese Tart
- 1 1/2 cups unbleached flour
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick)
- 1/4 cup cold water
- 1/2 onion, diced
- 2 tbsps olive oil
- 4 cups diced, unpeeled eggplant
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves (or 1/2 tsp. dried)
- 1/4 cup dry white wine
- 6 ozs fresh goat cheese
- 1 large tomato, cut into 6 round slices
- minced parsley for garnish
First make the pastry shell.
In bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade place the flour and salt. Blend together. Cut the butter into 8 pieces and drop into bowl. Pulse repeatedly until butter and flour have become fine meal, with no big chunks. This takes about 1 minute. With motor running, add the water and keep blending until dough just starts to pull away from bowl and make a ball.
Remove dough from bowl, form into a ball and flatten ball on cutting board with your hand so that you have a round disk about 1 inch thick. Wrap securely in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes (You can make the dough several days ahead).
To form tart crust:
Remove dough from refrigerator and let warm up about 20 minutes. Remove plastic wrap and place on lightly floured board. Roll out crust to make a a circle about 14 inches across and about 1/8” thick. If crust starts sticking, add a little more flour to board or pin, but don’t over flour.
Have ready a 9-10” tart pan with removable bottom. Roll the dough onto the rolling pin so that it drapes over and can be lifted off the board and quickly drape over pan. Carefully fit dough into pan without stretching it. Fold excess dough over into pan to create a double thickness on the sides of the tart, cutting off excess dough on tart edge as you work. Prick bottom of crust with fork several times. Line the pan tightly with aluminum foil, wrapping foil around to bottom of pan and chill for 20 minutes in freezer.
Remove tart shell from freezer and bake at 450° for 20 mins. removing foil during last 5 mins. Allow tart shell to cool.
Sautè the onion in the olive oil for about 5 mins. Add the eggplant, garlic, thyme, and salt and continue to saute for another 5 mins.
Add the white wine, cover and simmer over very low heat for about 15 mins. stirring occaisionally to prevent sticking. Add a little water if needed.
Remove from heat and allow to cool for 10 mins.Crumble the goat cheese into the eggplant mixture and gently mix. There will be some small clumps of cheese.
Spread the mixture evenly in the tart shell, filling out to the edges.Top with the 6 slices of tomato. Bake at 450° for about 30 minutes. Crust should be golden brown and tomatoes nicely roasted.
Let cool for 10 minutes before cutting. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Serves 8 as an appetizer or 6 as a first course on a bed of greens.
Recipe by Jane O'Riordan