Tarte Piperade (Basque Vegetable Tart)

Since coming home from Paris last week, I am cheesed out, if you can believe it.
Too much of a good thing (until next week!).

I don't want to look at liver (pate) or cheese for at least one week.

Tarts are always welcome, 7 days a week. They are so pretty & delicious, I never tire of them.

Browsing thru Eileen's blog, I spied a lovely Piperade Pie.

Piperade is the ratatouille of the Basque region, sans eggplant.
Patricia Wells uses it over fish in her BISTRO COOKING French cookbook.

But I loved this rendition poured into a tart crust!
Isn't everything better in a pastry?

Eileen made a cheese crust from a Gourmet recipe, however, since I am off cheese for the week, I just made a straight pate brisee. You can also use frozen puff pastry if you like.

There was no cheese or cream in this tart, yet it tasted rich and delicious.
It was a simple vegetable tart made with only eggs and vegetables and we LOVED it!

Don't skip the 7 dashes of Tabasco, I think that is what made the flavors come together.



Tart #25: Tarte Piperade (adapted from Living Tastefully & Gourmet)

1 Pate Brisee recipe (puff pastry or frozen pie shell)

Roll out your dough and press into a 9" fluted tart pan. Keep in the refrigerator until ready to fill.

Piperade filling:

1 red pepper, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 yellow onion, chopped
1/4 cup scallions, roughly chopped
3 plum tomatoes, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
7 dashes of hot sauce (I used Tabasco)
1 tablespoon butter
5 eggs



In a large skillet, cook your vegetables on medium heat for about 10 minutes until softening. Add hot sauce at the end and remove from the heat.
Stir in the tablespoon of butter and let cool for 15 minutes.



Beat the eggs in a bowl and add the cooled vegetable mixture to the eggs.
Mix together and pour in to the prepared pie shell.

Bake 30 minutes at 350F until the filling is set but not dry.



Let rest 15 minutes before removing tart ring.



I served this with my French salad w/ arugula and walnuts.

I leave my pies and tarts outside to cool on baking sheets, because I don't have a window sill.
I caught this neighborhood foodie trying to steal a piece!



This was really EXCELLENT!
This recipe is going in the tart repertoire!