Easy Summer Recipe: Roasted Eggplant and Tomato Tart

Easy Summer Recipe: Roasted Eggplant and Tomato Tart

Why You Should Give This Recipe a Try

I am always on the hunt for eggplant recipes because – and I realize this may seem strange – eggplant is my favorite vegetable. Eggplant rollatini? One of my favorite meals. Ratatouille? Yes, please. Eggplant lasagna? Why not? One taste of this Easy Summer Recipe: Roasted Eggplant and Tomato Tart and I knew this was the eggplant dish we all need for summer. Layers of eggplant and tomato tossed with onions, Kalamata olives, and fresh mozzarella is a main dish sitting atop a crispy puff pastry dish. This will easily become one of your favorite ways to use all that Italian eggplant and those fresh tomatoes available at the farmers market and grocery store this time of year. As always, the recipe is easy to make and requires no special ingredients or complicated techniques. Add it to your summer favorites! 

Recipe Ingredients

1 sheet of puff pastry, thawed

1 medium eggplant

4 small tomatoes (preferably plum tomatoes)

1/2 medium yellow onion

1/4 cup Kalamata olives, halved

8 oz mozzarella cheese

1 tsp herbes de Provence

3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (divided)

salt (I like sea salt)

1 egg and 1 tbsp water (for egg wash)

Helpful Tools

Parchment paper

Rolling pin

Rimmed baking sheet

Pizza cutter

Ruler

Ingredient Notes

Thaw the puff pastry so that it is just warm enough to handle. Leaving it out too long makes it a bit gooey and difficult to roll. You can always pop it back in the fridge for a few minutes if necessary.

Fresh ingredients are key to every recipe. Make sure you are using a medium eggplant as some of the larger ones can be starchy and, of course, be sure it is a fresh eggplant. 

Fresh tomatoes are definitely the way to go here. Plum tomatoes (also called Roma tomatoes) are the best choice because they have fewer seeds. I have used regular vine ripened tomatoes as well, although they definitely produce more liquid.

Herbes de Provence is one of my favorite cooking ingredients because it seems like the perfect blend of herbs for most dishes. That said, you can also use 1/2 tsp oregano and 1/2 tsp thyme if you do not have herbes de Provence. Want to use fresh herbs? Check out the FAQs for directions.

Fresh seems to be a trend here! I did use fresh mozzarella, sliced and patted dry.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

2. Cut off the top leaf and and very bottom (about 1/4 inch) of the eggplant and slice the eggplant. Slices of about 1/2 inch are ideal.

3. Line a rimmed sheet pan with parchment paper.

4. Place the eggplant slices on the prepared sheet pan and sprinkle salt on top. Set aside for ten minutes.

5. Slice the tomatoes into rounds. 

6. Line another sheet pan with parchment paper.

7. Place the tomato slices on the prepared sheet pan and lightly sprinkle salt on top. Set aside for ten minutes.

8. Cut the onion in half and slice into half moons.

9. Slice the olives in half if necessary.

10. Cut the mozzarella into 1/4 inch slices. Pat the slices dry with a paper towel.

11. After the ten minutes have elapsed, pat the eggplant pieces and the tomato slices with a paper towel to remove the excess moisture.

12. Lightly brush the eggplant with the olive oil. You will not need to use it all and want to avoid adding too much oil. 

13. Lightly brush the tomato with the olive oil. Again, do not use too much oil.

14. Bake the eggplant and tomatoes for 10 minutes. They will not be completely cooked, but will continue cooking once the tart is assembled. Remove when ready and set aside to cool slightly.

15. Heat about 1 tbsp of olive oil in a skillet.

16. Add the onions to the skillet and cook until soft and translucent. I recommend cooking them over medium heat, stirring occasionally to avoid browning them.

17. While the eggplant, tomatoes, and onions are cooking, prepare the puff pastry.

18. Place a sheet of puff pastry on a piece of parchment lightly dusted with flour. Lightly dust a rolling pin with flour as well.

19. Roll the dough into a 9 x 12 inch rectangle. It doesn’t have to be exact.

20. Using a pizza cutter or sharp knife, score the dough about 3/4 inch from the edge, all around. Be careful not to cut through the dough.

21. Place the puff pastry, with the parchment paper, onto a rimmed baking sheet.

22. Layer the cooked eggplant and tomato slices, slightly overlapping, alternating one then the other, on the puff pastry within the border you have scored.

23. Lightly brush the veggies with the remaining oil.

24. Add the onion, olives, and mozzarella over the surface of the eggplant and tomatoes.

25. Sprinkle the tart with salt and the herbes de Provence.

26. Beat together the egg and water in a cup.

27. Brush the uncovered edges of the puff pastry (the border you made) with the egg wash.

28. Bake for about 20 minutes until the edges of the tart are puffed up and golden, the cheese melted, and the veggies tender (i.e., you can easily pierce them with a fork).

29. Allow the tart to cool slightly, then slice it into squares with a pizza cutter.

Check out the printable recipe card below for full directions for this delicious and simple dish!

Storage

Puff pastry doesn’t store particularly well, so it is better to eat it right after preparing it.

If you do have some leftover eggplant and tomato tart, you can try storing it in an airtight container in the fridge for 24 hours. 

Tips & Tricks

Do not peel the eggplant! The peel is entirely edible and helps the slices maintain their shape. This is another reason to avoid using a large eggplant, however, whose peel can have a bitter taste. 

Try preparing all of the vegetables before you get started. It is a real time saver and you don’t need to feel stressed that one part of the recipe is ready before another. 

FAQs

Do I need to use fresh mozzarella?

You do not – although I recommend using block of mozzarella and not grated cheese.

Can I use fresh herbs instead of herbes de Provence or dried oregano and thyme?

You can use fresh 1 1/2 tsp fresh oregano and 1 1/2 fresh thyme in place of dried herbs.

What can I use in place of Kalamata olives?

You can use a small can (2.25 oz) of sliced black olives in place of the Kalamata olives. 

How can you reheat leftovers?

As mentioned, it is best to eat this as soon as it is ready. If, however, you have some leftovers, you can try reheating them on a baking sheet in the oven at 350 for ten minutes. You can also heat it in a toaster oven. It is not, however, a good idea to heat the leftovers in the microwave since the puff pastry will get soggy.

Are you so happy with this Easy Summer Recipe: Roasted Eggplant and Tomato Tart that you want to make another eggplant and tomato dish? Why not try this French favorite, ratatouille?