#MeatlessMonday - Eggplant, Tomato & Smoked Mozzarella Tart #vegetarian #recipe

A summer tart which require some work, but it's worth it. If you don't want to mess with making your own tart crust, use prepared pie crust dough. Enjoy!

Eggplant, Tomato, and Smoked Mozzarella Tart

Photo courtesy of Annie via Flickr

Ingredients

Crust:

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup water
1 tablespoon olive oil

Filling:

1 (1-pound) eggplant, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices
1/2 teaspoon salt
Olive oil for brushing eggplant 

4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon basil (fresh, if you can)
1 1/2 teaspoons oregano  (fresh, if you can)
16 cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded smoked mozzarella cheese, divided
2 tablespoons grated fresh Parmesan cheese

Preparation


Preheat oven to 400°.

To prepare crust:

Combine flour, baking powder, pepper and salt in a large bowl. Make a well in center of mixture. Add water and 1 tablespoon oil, stirring to form a soft dough. Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead lightly. Press dough into a 4-inch circle on plastic wrap; cover and chill 15 minutes.

Roll dough into an 11-inch circle. Press lightly into a 10-inch round tart pan coated with cooking spray. Pierce bottom and sides of dough with a fork. Bake at 400° for 10 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack.

To prepare filling: 

Sprinkle eggplant with 1/2 teaspoon salt; let stand 15 minutes. Pat dry with paper towels. Brush eggplant with olive oil. Arrange eggplant in a single layer on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake at 400° for 20 minutes. Set aside.

Heat a large skillet. Add garlic and olive oil. Cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Add 1/4 teaspoon salt, basil, oregano and tomatoes.

Layer smoked mozzarella, eggplant and tomato mixture in crust and top with Parmesan cheese. 

Bake at 400° for 10 minutes or until cheese melts. Cut into 8 wedges.