Vegetable Ribbon Tart | Baking with Dorie

The vegetable patch in the backyard is the inspiration behind the vegetable ribbon tart. Other than the herbs I have on hand, most of the ingredients are store bought. The tart base, which serves as a canvas for the vegetables, is puff pastry from the store. The vegetables are primarily raw ingredients. They work like a salad piled on top of the tart base. By and large, there are plenty of room for playing around, especially with the vegetable selections.

The vegetables: The vegetables I end up using for the vegetable ribbon tart are: tomatoes (two kinds), cucumbers, avocado, olives and homegrown herbs (basil, parsley, thyme). Of course, it won’t be a ribbon tart without the carrots. Specifically, the carrots are shaved in the shape of ribbon strings. I have to experiment with various cutters to come up with the most convincing ribbon strings. Well, the final decision is to use a hand peeler to produce some resemblances of ribbons. They are OK, not my best work!

The dressing: The vegetables are dressed and tossed in a vinaigrette. Dorie’s suggestion for the vinaigrette is a simple mixture of fresh lemon juice, white balsamic vinegar, honey, za’atar, grated ginger, olive oil and sesame oil. I follow a similar script. However, I dress the vegetable lightly while leaving a bottle of vinaigrette on the side for customization.

The other toppings include soft-boiled eggs and my go-to homemade hummus. I whip up the hummus using a can of chickpeas (drained), garlic cloves, lemon juice and tahini — in a food processor. That takes just minutes. Season the hummus with salt and pepper; finish with a splash of olive oil on top. For details, here is the recipe.