Aubergine And Halloumi Tart With Preserved Lemons And Mint

Sesame & Spice

https://www.cutoutandkeep.net/projects/aubergine-and-halloumi-tart-with-preserved-lemons-and-mint • Posted by Hodder & Stoughton

This tart is the perfect way for me to indulge my love of aubergine, as it appears in three different guises here: as a smoky purée, griddled and roasted. It also gives me an excuse to show you how to make baba ganoush, the smoky, sultry aubergine paste that makes a stunning dip on its own or as part of a mezze.

You will need

3 Aubergines 5 tbsp Olive Oil 50 g Tahini A squeeze of Lemon Juice 1 x 320g rolled sheet of Puff Pastry 250 g Halloumi , cut into small cubes and tossed in a little olive oil 1 Egg , beaten Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper
For the drizzle
2 tbsp Olive Oil 1 tbsp Date syrup or runny Honey A handful of Mint Leaves , shredded 1 Red Chilli , deseeded and cut into tiny dice ½ Preserved Lemon , flesh discarded, skin cut into tiny dice

Project Budget

Time

Difficulty

Description

This tart is the perfect way for me to indulge my love of aubergine, as it appears in three different guises here: as a smoky purée, griddled and roasted. It also gives me an excuse to show you how to make baba ganoush, the smoky, sultry aubergine paste that makes a stunning dip on its own or as part of a mezze.

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/Gas 6. Line two baking sheets with baking parchment.

2. Cook the first aubergine. Cover your hob with foil as best you can to stop it from becoming filthy. Ideally, you want to place the aubergine on the hob and char it over the open flame until it is completely burnt on the outside and collapsing. If you don’t have a gas hob, grill the aubergine instead. When it is cool enough to handle, split the aubergine lengthways and scoop the flesh into a bowl, being careful not to get any of the burnt skin in with the flesh. Set aside.

3. Cut the second aubergine in half horizontally. Cut each chunk into eight vertical wedges (or six if your aubergines are on the skinny side). Toss in 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, season well and arrange the wedges on one of the baking sheets, skin-side down. Roast for 15 minutes, until golden and almost cooked.

4. Heat a griddle pan on the hob. Cut the third aubergine into thin, round slices. Toss in 2 tablespoons of olive oil, season, and place the slices on the hot griddle pan, for 3 minutes on each side.

5. Take the flesh from the first aubergine and strain it through a sieve to remove any excess liquid. Place the flesh on a board and chop it until it is a rough purée. Place it in a bowl with the tahini, the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and a squeeze of lemon juice, and add ½ teaspoon of salt. Mix well and taste, adjusting the seasoning if necessary – it may need more salt.

6. Open the pastry roll and place it on the second baking sheet. Gently score a line around the pastry, about 2cm from the edge, creating a border. Spread the aubergine purée – baba ganoush – over the inner section of the pastry. Lay the circles of griddled aubergine over the baba ganoush and arrange the wedges amongst the circles. Scatter with the cubed halloumi. Season the whole tart with salt and pepper, and brush beaten egg over the pastry border.

7. Bake for 25 minutes, or until the border is well risen and golden.

8. For the drizzle, mix the olive oil and date syrup or honey in a small bowl and add the mint leaves, chilli and preserved lemon. Using a teaspoon, drizzle all over the tart. Serve warm or at room temperature, cut into squares.