Ricotta and Tomato Tart

Are you ready to make some more pastry? Please say yes, I hate to be alone. This Rough Puff Pastry is like the tom-boy little sister of the more refined and elegant Puff Pastry older sister. (You can tell I'm the oldest of three sisters can't you?)

PS: Our two older brothers might have had something to say about how refined and elegant I was growing up.

Have you worked it out yet? That I'm the MIDDLE CHILD!.. Explains a lot, doesn't it?

Ricotta and Tomato Tart

from Bill Granger's Bill's Sydney Food

Serves 8

For the Filling:
2-3 ripe tomatoes, finely sliced (I used a few different types that I have growing in my garden)
sea salt

2 cups ricotta
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 cup cream
1/4 cup finely grated parmesan
a pinch of ground nutmeg
freshly ground black pepper
1 cup finely shredded rocket
1 egg yolk, lightly beaten, for glazing
2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley

For the Rough Puff Pastry:
200g plain flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
200g chilled unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
2 tablespoons chilled water

Make the Pastry:
Place flour and salt in a bowl, add butter and rub through with fingertips until the mixture resembles large breadcrumbs. Add enough cold water, cutting in with a knife, to form a ball. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap & refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Roll out dough into a 30 x 15 cm rectangle. Fold in the two short ends to meet in the centre, then fold in again. Roll the pastry into a 30 x 15cm rectangle again, then repeat folding process. Refrigerate as a small rectangle for a further 30 minutes before using.

Make the Tart:
Preheat oven to 200 degrees C. 

Place tomatoes in a colander, sprinkle with salt and leave to drain. Place pastry dough on a lightly floured surface & roll out to a circle about 35cm in diameter and 3mm thick. Place dough on a lightly floured baking tray.

Place ricotta, eggs, cream, parmesan, nutmeg, salt and pepper in a bowl and mix well. Add rocket and stir to combine. Place this mixture in the centre of the dough, and spread filling over the dough leaving a 5 cm border around the outside. Using your hand, lift and push the border onto the filling. Arrange tomato slices over the top of the filling. Brush pastry with egg yolk and bake in the oven for 35-40 minutes or until golden. Serve sprinkled with chopped parsley and freshly ground black pepper.