Tasty tarts

Simply delicious describes the summer tart recipes below.

A tart, by definition, is a pie without a top crust. My idea of a tart was a fancy dessert baked in a shallow pan. I was wrong. There are many savory tarts that lend themselves to use of abundant summer vegetables. Some are baked in a tart pan, but that’s not a steadfast rule. Tart crusts and fillings run the whole gamut.

The tasty summer vegetable tart serves four to six people and is about 300 calories per serving. It’s a great recipe to use when you have an overstock of summer squash and bell peppers growing in your garden. The crust can be homemade, or you can purchase a ready-made pie crust to save time.

Although the recipe does not call for many seasonings, the flavors of the vegetables are intensified by sautéing them with garlic and onions in a small amount of olive oil. Sautéing before baking locks in the flavors. The sautéed vegetables are placed in the center of the pie crust and the edges of the crust folded over them — fast and simple. For baking, I used a pizza baking stone, but any baking pan will work.

Another savory tart (recipe below) has a crust made from shredded zucchini, scallions and bread crumbs. This tart is made in a 9-inch pie pan and filled with cheese, sliced tomatoes and fresh basil. It’s a low-calorie dish suitable for a brunch or light lunch.

On a sweeter note, crushed shortbread cookies were used for the berry-lime tart crust. This dessert makes use of the traditional tart pan. The crust is baked for about 15 minutes and once it’s cooled, the lime custard is prepared and poured into it. The recipe didn’t specify berry type, but I used red raspberries to garnish the top. The raspberry/lime flavors made a refreshing, chilled summer dessert.
  
Summer vegetable tart
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 small onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced (or 1 teaspoon pre-minced garlic)
1 medium zucchini, sliced into 1/4-inch rounds
1 yellow squash, sliced into 1/4-inch rounds
8 ounces fresh mushrooms, wiped clean and sliced into thick slices
1 red pepper, diced
1 yellow pepper, diced
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons fresh thyme
1 refrigerated pie crust
1/2 cup Gruyere (or
mozzarella) cheese,
shredded
Fresh raspberries
Procedure:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a medium skillet heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and garlic. Cook one to two minutes until onions soften, being careful not to let garlic burn. Add zucchini, yellow squash, mushrooms and peppers. Cook three to five minutes until all vegetables are softened. Season with salt, pepper and thyme; remove from heat.
Unfold refrigerated pie crust onto a floured surface. Roll out so that the pie crust is 2 inches wider than normal. (Normally refrigerated pie crusts come in 12-inch sizes. So you’ll want to roll the crust out to about 14 inches.)
Place the crust on a baking sheet. Mound vegetable medley in the middle of the crust, leaving a 2-inch border all the way around. Fold the sides of the pie crust over the vegetable mixture, allowing most of the vegetables to remain exposed. Sprinkle the Gruyere cheese evenly over the vegetable mixture. Bake 15 minutes or until the cheese melts and the pie crust browns very lightly. Serves four to six people.
Recipe source: http://healthy cooking.suite101.com

Berry-lime custard tart
22 shortbread cookies
3/4 cup macadamia nuts
1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
3 tablespoons butter, melted
3/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 large eggs plus yolk for
1 large egg
1 cup milk
1/2 cup lime juice (grate peel before juicing limes)
1 tablespoon grated lime peel
5 tablespoons butter
Procedure:
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly coat a 9- or 10-inch tart pan, with a removable bottom, with nonstick spray.
Process cookies and nuts in a food processor to make fine crumbs. Add coconut and butter; process just to blend. Press firmly over bottom and up sides of pan.
Bake 15 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack. Remove pan sides.
Lime Custard: In a heavy medium saucepan, whisk sugar and cornstarch to mix, then whisk in eggs and egg yolk until thoroughly blended. Whisk in milk and lime juice.
Cook over medium-low heat, stirring often (don’t boil or custard may curdle.) As custard thickens, about 10 minutes, stir constantly three to five minutes until thick enough to coat back of a metal spoon.
Remove from heat. Add peel and butter; stir until butter melts. Spread evenly in crust; top with berries. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least four hours to set custard.
Recipe source: Women’s Day magazine

Zucchini crust tomato basil tart
Serves: 6
Calories per serving: 236
2 pounds zucchini, shredded (about 6 medium)
1 bunch scallions, thinly sliced (use white and green parts)
1/4 cup fine dry bread crumbs, plus 2 tablespoons
Salt and pepper
1 egg, beaten
6 ounces shredded fontina (or mozzarella) cheese, divided
1 medium tomato,
quartered, thinly sliced
1/4 cup loosely packed
slivered fresh basil leaves
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for pan
Procedure:
Place the zucchini and scallions in a large sauté pan. Cook over high heat, stirring frequently, until the zucchini shrinks, about six minutes. Drain in a colander. Press out excess water with a spoon.
Return zucchini and scallions to the pan. Add 1/4 cup of bread crumbs and 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Allow to cool for five minutes, tossing frequently. Add the eggs; toss.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees and coat a 9-inch pie pan with oil. Press the zucchini mixture into the bottom and up the sides, but not over the lip of the pan. This crust is very thick. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, until golden.
Remove and sprinkle with 1/2-cup fontina. Top with the tomato slices, overlapping slightly if necessary. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Cover with two tablespoons bread crumbs, the basil, the olive oil and the remaining cup of fontina.
Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees. Bake for 30 minutes or until the cheese is well browned. Allow to sit for at least 10 minutes before cutting.
Recipe source; Giada
De Laurentiis, Everyday
Italian

Fresh fruit tart
Serves: 8
1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened and cut into pieces
1 egg yolk
2 to 3 tablespoons milk
1 package (8-ounces) regular or reduced-calorie cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup strawberry jam
2 to 3 cups mixed assorted fresh fruit, such as sliced bananas, sliced kiwi,
blueberries, sliced peaches, sliced plums, raspberries and halved strawberries
1/4 cup apple jelly, melted
1/4 cup toasted, sliced, unblanched almonds (optional)
Procedure:
Combine flour, sugar and salt in food processor or blender; process until just combined. Add butter. Process using on/off pulsing action until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add egg yolk and 2 tablespoons milk; process until dough leaves side of bowl. Add additional milk by teaspoons if necessary. Shape dough into disc. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate 30 minutes or until firm.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Roll dough out on a lightly floured surface to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut 12-inch circle; transfer to 10-inch tart pan with removable bottom. Press lightly onto bottom and up side of pan; trim edges even with edge of pan. Bake 16 to 18 minutes or until light golden brown. Transfer to wire rack; cool completely.
Combine cream cheese and jam in small bowl; mix well. Spread evenly over cooled crust. Arrange fruit decoratively over cream cheese layer.
Brush fruit with apple jelly. Sprinkle with almonds, if desired. Serve immediately or refrigerate up to two hours before serving. 
Recipe source: Easy Home Cooking Magazine