It’s no secret that I love Greek food and with tomatoes, olives, oregano and feta this tart is a real nod to Greek cookery. You can play around with the toppings – try different cheeses, ham or caramelised onion jam, or make it pizza-like with mozzarella, anchovies or pepperoni. Keep a roll of puff pastry in the freezer and you’re always ready to go.
SERVES 4
320g pack ready-rolled all-butter puff pastry
1 large free-range egg, beaten with a pinch of salt
5 tbsp black olive tapenade
500g tomatoes (ideally a mix of heirloom and cherry tomatoes), large tomatoes thickly sliced, cherry tomatoes halved
2 tbsp oregano leaves
100g feta, crumbled
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
PICKLED SHALLOT
1 banana shallot, thinly sliced into rings
100ml white wine vinegar
2 tbsp golden caster sugar
TO FINISH
Extra virgin olive oil, to drizzle
1. Preheat the oven to 210°C/Fan 190°C/Gas 6½. Line a baking tray with baking paper.
2. Unravel the puff pastry and roll out to a slightly thinner large rectangle. Transfer to the lined tray. Make small folds around the edge of the pastry by folding the edge of the pastry inwards, using your fingertip and pressing down, to create a slightly thicker pastry rim. Do this all the way round.
3. Using a small sharp knife, score a line around the pastry just inside the rim. Pierce the entire base of the pastry well. Brush the pastry, including the folded rim, with beaten egg and bake on a high shelf in the oven for 15 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, for the pickled shallot, put the shallot rings into a heatproof bowl. Heat the wine vinegar and sugar in a small pan over a medium heat, stir until the sugar dissolves then pour over the shallot. Leave to pickle for 15 minutes.
5. When the pastry is cooked, remove from the oven and leave to cool down slightly. If the middle part has risen, press it down with the back of a spoon.
6. Spread the tapenade over the pastry and arrange the tomatoes on top. Sprinkle evenly with the oregano and feta. Season with a little salt and pepper and bake on a high shelf in the oven for 15 minutes.
7. As you remove the tart from the oven, drizzle with a little extra virgin olive oil. Scatter over the pickled shallot and serve, with a leafy salad on the side.