Eggplant and romesco tarts

Name: Eggplant and romesco tarts
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 4 Japanese (long, thin) eggplants, halved lengthways; 100ml extra virgin olive oil; 7 garlic cloves, 4 crushed, 3 chopped; 2 onions, thinly sliced; 1 bunch silverbeet, stalks and leaves separated, each thinly sliced; 1/2 cup (75g) pitted kalamata olives, chopped; 2 vine-ripened tomatoes, chopped; 2 sheets frozen puff pastry, thawed (we used Carême brand); 1 egg, lightly beaten; 100g parmesan, finely grated; 100g cheddar cheese, coarsely grated; 330g drained jarred roasted capsicums; 1/4 cup (70g) tomato paste; 150g almonds, roasted (we used Woolworths Macro); 2 tsp smoked paprika; 2 tbs red wine vinegar; Pinch chilli powder; 1/2 cup (125ml) extra virgin olive oil; Baby rocket, to serve

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by Tom Walton

Oct 01, 2018

These eggplant parcels make a great vegetarian main.

4 Japanese (long, thin) eggplants, halved lengthways
100ml extra virgin olive oil
7 garlic cloves, 4 crushed, 3 chopped
2 onions, thinly sliced
1 bunch silverbeet, stalks and leaves separated, each thinly sliced
1/2 cup (75g) pitted kalamata olives, chopped
2 vine-ripened tomatoes, chopped
2 sheets frozen puff pastry, thawed (we used Carême brand)
1 egg, lightly beaten
100g parmesan, finely grated
100g cheddar cheese, coarsely grated
330g drained jarred roasted capsicums
1/4 cup (70g) tomato paste
150g almonds, roasted (we used Woolworths Macro)
2 tsp smoked paprika
2 tbs red wine vinegar
Pinch chilli powder
1/2 cup (125ml) extra virgin olive oil
Baby rocket, to serve

Method

1.

Preheat oven to 200°C. Grease 3 baking trays and line with baking paper.
2.

Place eggplant on 1 prepared tray, brush with 2 tbs oil and rub with half the crushed garlic. Roast for 20 minutes or until tender.
3.

Meanwhile, heat 2 tbs oil in a large frypan over medium-high heat. Add onion, 1/2 tsp salt flakes and remaining crushed garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes or until onion starts to soften. Add silverbeet stalks and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes or until stalks start to soften. Add silverbeet leaves and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes or until wilted and liquid is evaporated. Stir through the olives and tomato, and cool completely.
4.

Halve pastry sheets into 2 rectangles. Place 2 sheets on each remaining prepared tray. Leaving a 2cm border, prick centre of sheets all over with a fork. Spread silverbeet mixture over pricked area of pastry. Fold pastry edges in towards the centre, rounding the corners slightly, and brush edges with egg. Top tart filling with roast eggplant, scatter with combined cheeses and drizzle with remaining 1 tbs oil. Bake the tarts for 25 minutes or until pastry is golden and cooked through.
5.

Meanwhile, to make the romesco sauce, place all remaining ingredients except rocket in a blender and whiz to a coarse paste.
6.

Serve tarts with rocket and romesco.