Tart & soul
“This is basically a pizza on a tart crust rather than bread dough, and there is nothing wrong with that! The anchovies melt into the sweet onions and add umami richness. Do leave them out if you want to keep it vegetarian.”
A GOOD DOUGH recipe for a tart is an excellent thing to have in your repertoire and frozen doughs are handy as they can get you out of a cooking rut quickly. Even though I have made hundreds, I still feel a sense of wonderment when I see a perfectly baked tart come out of the oven. Nothing elicits more “oohs and ahhs” than a golden-brown tart. And anyone can do it because it doesn’t matter if the tart isn’t perfect!
Most people think of a tart as a base for sweet desserts only, but the buttery crust works well for savoury toppings, too. A base of softened onions is an excellent sweet and savoury start, then follow it up with whatever vegetable is in season – zucchini, wilted greens, stewed mushroom or thinly sliced pumpkin – then top with cheese or cream or both. As for the sweet tarts, my formula begins with a base of nut frangipane which serves as the perfect sponge for roasty fruit juices but also works to create a barrier so the crust doesn’t go soggy while baking.
I encourage you to experiment,
