This is a traditional Argentine dish. I've added basil to the crust and roasted the vegetables instead of sauteeing them. You can also prepare this dish with pre-packaged puff pastry dough (breakfast should be easy, after all) and simply sprinkle the basil in the tart before adding the vegetables. Best of all, slice the tarta and freeze it in sections for a quick meal to go on a hectic morning.
Makes 6 to 8 servings
Crust
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup fresh basil, finely chopped
1/2 cup (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into small chunks
1 large egg yolk
1 tablespoon ice water, plus more if needed
Filling
2 large red bell peppers
2 large summer squash
Olive oil for drizzling
Salt and pepper to taste
1 to 2 tablespoons fresh basil as garnish
2 large eggs
Combine the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Mix in the butter with a pastry blender, food processor or your hands until the dough looks like coarse crumbs. Once it reaches the desired consistency, add the egg yolk and ice water, working it into the mixture. Pinch a section of the dough together between your fingers: If the dough is still crumbly and does not bind, add more ice water, a small amount at a time. You want the dough to bind without being too damp or sticky. When the dough has reached the right consistency, roll it into a ball and flatten it into a disk (this will help the dough cool faster). Then wrap the disk and place it in the refigerator for at least 30 minutes, ideally one hour.
In the meantime, preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Slice the bell peppers into quadrants and the squash into rounds 1/4 inch thick. Cover a baking sheet with foil and lightly drizzle olive oil and sprinkle salt and pepper. Spread cut vegetables on top of seasoned foil. Drizzle again with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place in oven for approximately 20 minutes or until the vegetables begin to soften, turning them over halfway.
While the vegetables roast, take the dough from the refrigerator. Lightly flour a kitchen board and roll out the dough into a 10-inch round. Drape the dough over a rolling pin and transfer it to a 9-by-9-inch baking or pie pan. Press the dough into the pan and trim the edges.
When the vegetables are done, lower the oven temperature to 400 degrees Prick the bottom of the tart crust with a fork and place it in the oven for 10 to 15 minutes, or until crust begins to brown. If it begins to puff, cover with foil and add pie weights, dried beans or rice to hold it down (or just push it down with an oven mitt or kitchen towel!).
Pile the vegetables into the pre-cooked tart crust, beginning with the red peppers, breaking the curled edges to let the pepper lie flat. Once the red peppers are arranged, whisk 1 egg and pour evenly over tart. Then place the squash slices and whisk the other egg and pour over the tart. Place the tart in the oven for 30 to 35 minutes. If the edges of the tart begin to brown too quickly, cover them with aluminum foil. Once the egg is cooked through, the tart is done. Cool on a rack and garnish with basil before serving.
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