Pepper & onion tart is one of my favourite dishes, it reminds me of home and sunny summer days. It’s a delicious appetizer that can be served either warm or cold.
In Italy we have loads of veggie tarts or veggie pies. It’s quite difficult to translate this type of dish though. Its real name is ‘torta salata’ which literally means ‘salty cake’. It doesn’t have specific requirements and it’s an incredibly versatile dish – all you need is puff pastry and imagination.
We could say that ‘torta salata’ is the less well-known cousin of the French quiche. A quiche tends to prefer a shortcrust base, while ‘torta salata’ has a soft spot for puff pastry. Quiche has a richer filling with often loads of cream, torta salata is lighter and as in this case, its only ingredients can be vegetables.
Torta Salata is the show stopper of any Italian picnic but it can also be humbly served before lunch and dinner as an appetizer, during a glorious aperitivo.
The torta salata I am sharing with you today, it’s my favourite and my mum’s specialty.
She always prepares it for summer picnics, together with many other types of torte salate that I can’t wait to introduce you to. I always eat it all by myself before anyone else has even a chance to see it – they are just not quick enough!
The sweet peppers and onions on a crunchy bed of puff pastry is simply irresistible.
This is also an incredibly easy dish to make and it requires only three ingredients: peppers, onions, and a puff pastry sheet. Fight the hunger and make sure to sauté the peppers and onions before baking them. This is the secret to avoid burning the filling in the oven and fully savour your soft and caramelised veggies.
Pepper & Onion Tart
Course: MainDifficulty: Easy2
servings10
minutes20
minutes30
minutesPepper & onion tart is one of my favourite dishes, it reminds me of home and sunny summer days. It’s a delicious appetizer that can be served either warm or cold.
Ingredients
2 or 3 peppers
2 small onions (or 1 big one)
1 puff pastry sheet
oil and salt to season
Method
- Dice and brown the onions
- Cut and cook the peppers for 15 minutes
- Unroll the puff pastry, score the borders with a knife, and prick the inside with a fork (no soggy bottoms!)
- Top it with the delicious mix
- Pop it in the oven for 20 min at 200C or until the pastry is golden
Let me know if you try this recipe in the comments! Try it also with other vegetables, change shape…whatever sparks your creativity!