Rustic Swiss Chard Tart

Tuesdays in summer is the Downtown Farmers' Market. The best thing about working downtown, aside from the whole getting-a-paycheck thing is that I am steps away from a terrific farmers' market. No longer can I use laziness as a excuse not to visit the market and revel in truly fresh and local produce.

I stop in Tuesday mornings on my walk to work from the parking garage and pick up whatever strikes my fancy, as they say. The first week, among other items, I got a loaf of cracked pepper-cheddar bread that was so insanely delicious that it was gone by 10:00 that evening; the next week, I scored some granulated maple sugar that will be a key player in an upcoming maple-walnut apple strudel ; last week the highlights of my produce bag were garlic scapes and a lovely bunch of Swiss chard. Those scapes made a scrumptious pesto which I devoured on rosemary & olive oil Triscuits with slices of provolone while watching Midsomer Murders on Netflix at 2 in the morning, and the Swiss chard  - along with a few scapes - realized its happy vegetable potential by ending up as the star of this Rustic Swiss Chard tart.

When I got to the market today, I found the same vendor and told her how delicious her chard and scapes were. She had some absolutely gorgeous purple basil and some 8-ball zucchini that just begs to be stuffed with something - I'm thinking artichoke hearts, some of that purple basil, sun-dried tomatoes and fresh parmigiano reggiano. Look for those in the coming days here. :)

The next time you visit the farmers' market, be sure to check out Daily Harvest Farm.



Now for the tart.

Look at it. There could be anything in there.

But cut it open and taste a delicious mixture of chard, cheese and herbs.

You just can't beat that.

Rustic Swiss Chard Tart

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. Swiss chard, washed and dried well
• olive oil
• 5 garlic scapes, roughly chopped
• 1 garlic clove, smashed
• 1 shallot, minced
• 1 (15 oz) container of ricotta
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1/2 cup freshly grated parmigiano reggiano - or the stuff in the green can if that's what you like
• 1 t salt
• 1/4 t black pepper
• 1 T fresh thyme
• 1T fresh oregano
• 1/8 t grated nutmeg
• 1 package of frozen puff pastry - 2 sheets

Directions:

1. Thaw the puff pastry.
2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
3. Remove the leaves from the stems and slice the leaves into thin ribbons. Set aside.
4. Slice the stems thinly and saute in olive oil of medium high. Add the scapes and let them cook until the stems and scapes are tender.
5. Toss in the smashed clove of garlic and the minced shallot and raise the heat to medium-high and cook for 2 minutes. 
6. Add the chard leaves and let cook down until any moisture that has been released has evaporated, about 5 minutes.
7. Remove from heat and let cool.
8. Roll out one sheet of the thawed pastry between sheets of waxed paper until the pastry is at least a 12 inch square and set it in a 9 inch tart pan. Trim off excess pastry until there is a 1 inch overhang of pastry.*See Notes
9. To the cooled vegetables, mix in the ricotta, beaten egg, parm, herbs, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Mix thoroughly.
10. Put this vegetable-cheese mixture in the tart pan and roll out the second sheet of pastry to a 12 inch square and trim it to an 11 inch circle. 
11. Place it on top of the filling and pinch the edges together and then fold the joined overhanging pastry edges inward and crimp the seam. I like to tuck it inward, even.
12. Slash a few vent holes in the top of the pastry and bake for 40-45 minutes or until starting to turn golden brown.
13. Let cool for at least 10 minutes before cutting into it.

Notes:

• Ever wondered about what to do with scraps of leftover puff pastry?
  
  Check it out: Cinni-minis

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Coming soon...

Dark Chocolate Espresso Brownie Bites

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