Israeli Vegetable Tart

I now have two chicks swingin’ their hips with feathers flying in the wind. Lulu has joined Roxanne and started molting. Casting off a coat of feathers and growing new ones takes a tremendous amount of energy leaving nothing additional for egg laying. With Roxanne still littering the yard with her own feathers, it means Cleo is the only one laying. She’s been trying to do her part but the weather is cool and she’s also slowing down.

We’re eating fewer eggs as a result. While longing for an egg dish, albeit one that needs only a few eggs, I came upon this wonderful recipe which uses only two eggs. It’s filled with Mediterranean vegetables and crowned with feta cheese and nuts.



Israeli Vegetable Tart
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I adapted this recipe from a beautiful new book on Israeli cooking The Book of New Israeli Food by Janna Gur. The tart is called a pashtida, which is Hebrew for any dish (with or without a crust) baked with eggs and cheese and filled with vegetables, meat or fish.

Dough for 1 (9-inch) single pie crust

Filling:
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 small eggplant, chopped ½-inch (about 3 cups)
1 medium onion, halved, sliced
1 large garlic clove, minced
1 small zucchini, chopped (1 cup)
¼ cup chopped cilantro
2 eggs
½ cup half and half
¼ teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Topping:
¾ cup halved cherry tomatoes
3/4 cup coarsely chopped feta cheese
2 tablespoons pine nuts or chopped walnuts

Place an oven rack on the bottom setting. Heat the oven to 400°F. Line a 9-inch tart pan with removable bottom with the pie dough, extending the sides slightly above the top of the tart pan. Cover and refrigerate while preparing the filling.

Drizzle 1 tablespoon of the oil over the eggplant and toss in a medium bowl. Spread the eggplant in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until the eggplant is lightly browned. Cool completely.

Meanwhile, sauté the onion in the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until the onion is lightly browned. Add the zucchini to the onion and continue sautéing 2 to 3 minutes or until the zucchini is lightly browned. Stir in the garlic and cook 30 seconds or until the garlic becomes fragrant. Cool completely.

Whisk together the eggs, half and half, salt and pepper. Scatter the eggplant over the bottom of the tart and top with the onion and zucchini mixture. Pour the egg mixture over the vegetables then float the tomatoes, cut side up, in the cream. Arrange the cheese and nuts over the vegetables. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and place the tart pan in the center.

Bake the tart with the baking sheet on the bottom oven rack 35 to 40 minutes or until the crust is lightly browned and a knife inserted into the custard comes out clean.

Serves 6