Tarte fine à la ratatouille

Nutrition · per serving

Steps

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 220°C fan. Line a baking tray or tart tin with baking paper. Roll the puff pastry into a rough 24 x 18 cm rectangle if needed, place it on the tray, and score a 1.5 cm border without cutting through. Prick the centre lightly with a fork, then chill while you prepare the vegetables so the pastry stays flaky.

   200 g all-butter puff pastry
2. 2

   Slice the zucchini, eggplant, and tomatoes into very thin rounds, about 3 mm thick, for neat layering and even baking. Thinly slice the bell peppers and red onion, and finely chop the garlic.

   180 g zucchini180 g eggplant180 g ripe tomatoes120 g red bell pepper120 g yellow bell pepper80 g red onion2 cloves garlic
3. 3

   In a bowl, toss the zucchini, eggplant, bell peppers, onion, and garlic with 1 tbsp olive oil, 1 tsp thyme leaves, 3/4 tsp fine sea salt, and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Mix well so the vegetables are lightly coated; this helps them roast rather than steam.

   180 g zucchini180 g eggplant120 g red bell pepper120 g yellow bell pepper80 g red onion2 cloves garlic1 tbsp olive oil2 tsp fresh thyme leaves1 tsp fine sea salt1/2 tsp black pepper
4. 4

   Spread the passata over the centre of the pastry, staying inside the border, then dot or brush over the Dijon mustard. This thin layer adds flavour and protects the pastry from excess moisture.

   80 g tomato passata1 tsp Dijon mustard200 g all-butter puff pastry
5. 5

   Arrange the seasoned vegetables over the tart in overlapping rows or concentric lines, alternating colours for a striking finish. Tuck the tomato slices in last, then drizzle with the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil and scatter over the remaining 1 tsp thyme leaves, 1/4 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp black pepper.

   180 g zucchini180 g eggplant120 g red bell pepper120 g yellow bell pepper180 g ripe tomatoes1 tbsp olive oil2 tsp fresh thyme leaves1 tsp fine sea salt1/2 tsp black pepper
6. 6

   Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, rotating once halfway, until the pastry is deeply golden underneath the border and the vegetables are tender with lightly caramelised edges. If the vegetables look wet near the end, give the tart an extra 3 to 5 minutes so the moisture cooks off.

   200 g all-butter puff pastry180 g zucchini180 g eggplant120 g red bell pepper120 g yellow bell pepper180 g ripe tomatoes
7. 7

   Crumble the goat's cheese over the hot tart and let it rest for 5 minutes so the pastry sets slightly and slices cleanly. Finish with basil leaves just before serving.

   40 g goat's cheese8 g fresh basil leaves

Origin & History

This tart takes its inspiration from ratatouille, the Provençal vegetable dish from southern France built around summer produce like zucchini, eggplant, peppers, tomatoes, and herbs. Turning those flavours into a puff pastry tart is a more modern bistro-style presentation, combining rustic Mediterranean vegetables with classic French pastry technique.