Broccoflower tart - Tarta cu broccoli

Tarts, pies, quiches, and souffles made such a comeback in the last couple of years, and they went well beyond the classics. You could find so many all over the blogosphere and on the culinary websites. They are tasty, easy to make (ok, maybe not the souffles), savory or sweet, with or without crust, you could play with the ingredients so much, choosing your favorites or what is in season, or just go ahead with the old time favorites. My favorite are the ones made with leeks, spinach and chopped broccoli, and of course the fruit tarts.
I made last week a tart with broccoflower, and since Clara likes the broccoli and also bacon and cheese, so I put them together.
The tart shell was made from scratch, but a store bought pie shell would work just fine. This recipe asked for 2 cups flour, 8 tablespoons butter, 3 tablespoons icy water and a pinch of salt. I preheated the oven at 350F (170C) and baked the empty tart shell in a 11" (28 cm) pan for about 20-25 minutes, until light golden. Let the shell cool completely for about half an hour in the pan.
I cut the broccoflower bouquets and blanched them for about 2 minutes in boiling salted water, then washed them in cold water to stop the cooking process and drained until ready to use.
I sauteed one onion (you could use one leek) cut julienne with about 8 slices of bacon chopped in small pieces, until the onion was golden and soft. I mixed the onion and bacon in a bowl with the rest of the ingredients: 4 heaping tablespoons sour cream, 3 tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese, 3 eggs, salt, pepper, a pinch of nutmeg, and chopped fresh dill. Mix them together until just combined, then put the filling in the tart shell and arrange the broccoflower florets on top, along with some strips of red bell pepper.
Bake at 350 F (170C) for about 30 minutes, or until the filling is set. Let it cool and serve with salad.

If you have the time and patience, make smaller individual tarts as appetizers. They look impressive and everybody is going to admire you for all the hard work, but a full size tart to be sliced on the table looks very good, too.

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Tartele, placintele, quiche, budincile ori sufleurile au ajuns iarasi in centrul atentiei in ultimi 2-3 ani, depasind cu mult retetele clasice. Sunt gustoase si usor de facut (sau aproape, cu exceptia sufleurilor), sarate/condimentate sau pentru desert, cu sau fara foaie, poti jongla cu ingredientele in functie de favoritele tale sau de ce e in sezon, sau poti face una din retetele mai vechi, consacrate.
Preferatele mele sunt cele cu praz, spanac sau broccoli tocat marunt, dar de data asta am facut cu un altoi de broccoli-conopida ("floare de broccoli"), pentru ca si Clarei ii place broccoli, dar si baconul si branza, asa ca le-am combinat.

Crusta de tarta am facut-o, dar daca gasiti una la supermarket care va place, e numai buna si asa. Pentru foaie am avut nevoie de 250 g faina, 115 g unt rece, taiata cubulete, 3 linguri de apa foarte rece si un varf de sare. am intins-o cam de 4-5 mm, am pus-o in forma si am intepat-o peste tot cu furculita. Am incalzit cuptorul la 350F (170C) si am copt foaia singura intr-o forma rotunda de tarta (28 cm) cu fundul detasabile, aproape 20-25 minutes, primele 15 minute - acoperita cu o hartie de copt, ultimele 10 minute am dat hartia la o parte, pana crusta a devenit aurie. Se lasa crusta la racit timp de o jumatate de ora in forma ei.

Am oparit broccoli-ul in apa sarata timp de 1-2 minute, apoi l-am scurs de apa, spalat in apa rece sa opreasca gatitul, si l-am lasat la scurs pana a fost gata de pus in tarta.

Am calit o ceapa medie taiata solzisori cu vreo 8 felii de bacon taiat marunt, pana ceapa a devenit aurie. Am amestecat apoi intr-un castron ceapa, baconul, si restul de ingrediente: 4 linguri pline cu varf de smantana, 3 linguri pline de parmesan ras, 3 oua, sare, piper si un varf de nucsoara rasa, si marar proaspat tocat. Se amesteca bine ca sa se omogenizeze, apoi se toarna umplutura in forma de tarta si se aranjeaza buchetelele de broccoli deasupra, impreuna cu niste feliute de ardei gras rosu. Se coace 30 minute la aceeasi temperatura 350 F (170C), sau pana umplutura nu mai e lichida. Se serveste la temperatura camerei cu o salata, sau poate fi servita ca aperitiv- parte dintr-un meniu mai bogat.

Daca aveti timp si rabdare, puteti face tarte individuale, micute, ca aperitive. Arata foarte bine si toata lumea o sa va laude pentru toata munca grea, dar o tarta intreaga taiata in felii poate sa fie la fel prezentabila si cu mai putina munca.