Super Veggie Tart - Cauliflower

While broccoli is the well-known member of the cruciferous vegetable family, cauliflower also has a broad-spectrum of health benefits as well. The cruciferous vegetable family contains phytochemicals, vitamins and minerals, and fiber that are important to our health to lower the risk of getting cancer. Besides its anti cancer properties, cauliflower  is also very low in calories and has a high water content, two features that make it a great food for weight loss.  

Some of the ways I cook with caulifower are :
korma (http://acooksmemoir.blogspot.com/2012/04/vegetable-korma.html), added to pastas or grains (http://acooksmemoir.blogspot.com/2012/08/couscous-with-cauliflower-ragu.html), eaten raw with anchovy dip, baked, made into soups (http://acooksmemoir.blogspot.com/2012/11/cauliflower-soup.html) stir fried (http://acooksmemoir.blogspot.com/2014/04/cauliflower-stir-fry.html), quiche (http://acooksmemoir.blogspot.com/2013/03/cauliflower-and-asparagus-quiche.html)
made into dips (http://acooksmemoir.blogspot.com/2012/06/cauliflower-dip-with-brie.html)
or cooked with tomatoes and cream (http://acooksmemoir.blogspot.com/2014/04/cauliflower-in-rich-creamy-sauce.html.).
It can also be fried as cauliflower pakora (http://acooksmemoir.blogspot.com/2012/02/cauliflower-pakora.html), eaten raw with a dip (anchovy dip) and added to smoothies.

Adding pesto to cauliflower makes a delicious tart filling. Instead of heavy cream use ricotta for the filling. 

Pâte sucrée is a good pastry for this savory tart. I like this pastry because the crust when baked gives off a beautiful golden hue due to the addition of a little sugar. In my opinion this tart is quite versatile. It can either be used for sweet or a savory fillings. 

The right amount of salt is also very important in making a good tasting crust. For 12 ounces of all-purpose flour I usually add a 3/4 to 1 teaspoon of salt. The butter off course should be very cold and unsalted. Water should also be ice cold.

To make a  flaky crust, I use a food processor. Also to give my crust a head start in the oven, I partially prebake my crust before recooking the crust to prevent the bottom from being soggy when I add my wet filling.

Ingredients:
175 grams of all-purpose flour
110 grams of very cold unsalted butter
3 Tbsp almond flour
1 1/2 tsp of sugar
1/2 tsp fennel seeds
1/2 tsp of salt
4 Tbsp of very cold water

Method:

In a food processor add all the dry ingredients. Pulse to combine well. Then add cubed butter. Pulse 5 to 6 times. Flour texture should resembles coarse cornmeal, with butter pieces no larger than small peas. Now incorporate about 4 tablespoon of water and pulse to combine.

Gather the flour and press together to test whether is needs more water. The secret to flaky pastry is to handle it as little as possible. When mixing the wet ingredients into the dry, stop once it sticks together to form cohesive dough. Transfer the dough to a work surface, divide dough in half, pat each half into a ball and flatten into a disk.Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until well chilled, about 30 minutes. If you're not using it immediately, you can freeze it for about 2 months.

To use, roll out one disk to about a 1/4-inch thickness. Place over a fluted, straight-sided

8 and 3/4-inch tart pan and press to fit. This dough would not be enough to make thick edges. I wanted a rustic look. Dock the bottom crust with a fork to keep crust from blowing up with steam while they bake. In addition to docking I also mold a sheet of foil over tart shell and fill it with dried beans.

Paritally bake at 375 degrees F for 15 minutes. Remove beans with the foil  and continue to bake for another 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and set it aside. You will notice that the shell comes off the edges and can be inverted and will retain it shape well. Keep warm.

To make the filling:

In a saute pan,  add 2 Tbsp olive oil. Once the oil is hot add 3 cups of coarsely chopped cauliflower. Keep stirring the cauliflower on medium heat to attain a uniform brown color. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat when it is tender. Set a side to cool.

In a food processor, add 1 egg, 1/2 cup ricotta, about 1/4 cup half and half, 3 Tbsp pesto, 3 Tbsp milk, 1/2 tsp salt, freshly ground black pepper, 1/2 tsp red chili flakes and blend it well. Test the seasonings.  Add the cauliflower and pulse it one or two times. Do not over do it. I love to retain the texture in my food.

Tip the mixture into the warm tart crust. I added thinly sliced roasted cauliflower for decoration. Sprinkle 1/2 tsp of caraway seeds and dot it with more pesto.

Bake at 375 degrees F for 40 to 50 minutes until filling is cooked and the crust looks golden in color

Let it cool . The flavors are subtle with a hint of fennel and a touch of spiceness from the red chili flakes. I like mine with a slight kick. I served my tart with a arugula, avocado, cherry tomato salad with an anchovy dressing.

Enjoy..... If there is any question, please email me.