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ricotta tart

I don’t think I’ve ever made a savory tart, until now, which marks the mid-point in my life. And after this one, I’m wondering-what took me so long? I also sometimes lie awake at night and wonder if this really is the mid-point in my life. But that’s a whole nother post because it has nothing to do with baking. (Although that hasn’t stopped me before…)

Neuroses aside, this tart may look fancy, but it’s one of the simplest thing to make that you could imagine. True, it does require a bit of chopping and cooking, but there’s no mountains of long-cooked onions like pissaladière, it doesn’t call for an artery-busting even-handed pour of cream, and it’s wonderful served warm or at room temperature. And it’s even better the next day, when the top gets crusty-brown during reheating. What’s not to like?

sauteed bunch of allium

I made this tart on the spur of the moment after leafing through the excellent book, Local Flavors by Deborah Madison, which explores all of the magnificent produce from the diverse greenmarkets and small-scale farms spread out across America.

The long green stemmed ‘onions’ that I used were labeled cive at the market, which after much research, doesn’t seem to translates into English.* The closest thing I’ve seen elsewhere is green garlic, so in a Napoléonic sweep of power, I decree that you can use them. Otherwise scallions would work well. Or wild leeks, or even ramps, which I’ve never seen in Paris.

This recipe jumped out at me (well, not literally, which would’ve meant I’m having Joan of Arc-like schizophrenic visions, which is kinda scary) as I had a baked tart shell that was dangerously close to being smashed to smithereens in the chaos that I call “my freezer”. Plus I had just made a batch of homemade ricotta cheese and thought this would be the ideal way to highlight it. If you’re not as ambitious as I am, don’t sweat it. Deb’s original recipe called for fresh goat cheese, which I’m sure is amazing.

Because fresh ricotta is less intense than goat cheese, you could certainly add more fresh herbs than called for if using the former. And don’t limit yourself to thyme; a handful of chopped fresh oregano, chervil, mint, or basil added to the filling just before pouring it into the tart shell would work.

crème fraîche tart filling

I added some spicy Spanish chorizo to the recipe but you could omit it, or add cooked, smoky bacon bits instead. I know some of you would like to swap out the crème fraîche or heavy cream, but since it’s only 1/2 cup for eight servings, it’s really not all that much. And it didn’t bother me one whit. Heck, I even enjoyed a re-warmed square of this tart as part of my late-summer diet.

dinner

Considering you’ll get about eight serving out of this tart, it’s only one tablespoon of cream per portion. If you’re on a régime, simply follow my example and eat a small portion. Then fill up the rest of the plate with fresh vegetables, like I did, with tomatoes and green beans. Or you could be contrary and try swapping out whole milk for the cream. Just don’t tell me about it; I have enough things to worry about.

ricotta tart

Herbed Ricotta Tart

Adapted from Local Flavors: Cooking & Eating from America’s Farmers’ Markets (Broadway) by Deborah Madison I mentioned a few variations above, but in the future, I’m going to try this with feta cheese in place of the ricotta or goat cheese, black olives, and some cooked, (very) well-drained, chopped spinach for a Greek-style version. UPDATE: Judging from the responses in the comments, most are in agreement that these are simply a variety of spring onions that I used. So I’ve noted that in the list of ingredients. You can use green garlic, scallions, leeks, or ramps in their place, if you can’t find spring onions where you live.
  • half-pound (250g) spring onions, (See headnote)
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme, plus more for sprinkling over the finished tart
  • 8 ounces (285g) fresh goat cheese or fresh ricotta
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/2 cup (125ml) crème fraîche or heavy cream
  • 1/2 cup (125ml) whole milk
  • 2 ounces (55g) spicy Spanish-style chorizo sausage, finely diced
  • salt and freshly ground pepper
  • one pre-baked 9-inch (22cm) tart shell, (see Note)
  • Slice the spring onions into 1/2-inch (2cm) pieces. Melt the butter in a skillet and cook over medium heat, seasoning with a bit of salt and pepper, until tender and cooked through. When you remove it from the heat, stir in the fresh thyme and let cool to room temperature.
  • Preheat the oven to 400F (200C)
  • In a large bowl, crumble the goat cheese or ricotta, then mix in the egg, crème fraîche or cream, milk, chorizo, and a bit more salt and pepper along with the onions. (If you wish to use any other chopped, fresh herbs, add them now as well.)
  • Scrape the filling into the pre-baked tart shell and baking until just set and slightly-browned on top, 20-30 minutes. (As you can see, I used a rectangular mold. If using a different-sized tart pan, the baking time may vary. In which case, bake until it just feels set in the center.)
  • Let the tart cool briefly, then serve either warm or at room temperature. Sprinkle fresh thyme leaves over the top of the tart before serving.

Notes

Note: You could use the recipe for French Tart Dough, omitting the sugar, or Clotilde’s Olive Oil Crust.
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90 comments

    • Tone Victoria

    Wow! I just have to make this one today! Luckily I happen to have leftover pastry dough in the fridge after having made quiche earlier this week, plus some top notch chorizo (I’m sure that a pinch of smoked paprika would be nice en lieu of chorizo if one hasn’t got any to hand, or wants to make a vegetarian version). I’ think I’ll use cottage cheese in place of the ricotta, as one can’t get ricotta on Sundays in Norway.

    One question: do you know for sure that the French pastry dough will work without the sugar? I have made the sugary version a number of times, and each time it has turned out perfect. But I once tried it without sugar, and it just became crumbles. I then presumed that the sugar was a crucial ingredient in order for it to work. Or perhaps I was wrong about this and that it was just bad luck or that I’d been a bit careless?

    • krysalia

    What would be the french saying for “savory tart” ? I do not get it.

    Is it quiche or something more specific ? (maybe tarte salée ?)

    This seems gorgeous, with goat cheese and rosemary it’s probably heaven, or something close to it.
    This the first recipe of those cheese tarts I see without 5 eggs and a whole pot of crème fraîche épaisse, you’re right, more than gorgeous, c’est régime :D. Que demande le peuple !

    • eatlivetravelwrite

    Oooh – I have green garlic coming in this week’s organic box and have just started being brave enough to make my own pastry… Might have to try this out..

    • Ciaochowlinda

    Yes this looks divine and wow what discipline you have to eat such a modest portion. But then again, those speedos beckon.

    • The Gardener’s Eden

    David, thank you. This tart looks fantastic. I am working on an herb article for my gardening blog and will have to give your recipe a whirl before posting. I tried making a leek tart last fall, and it was far too complicated for a beginner, (my first savory tart of any kind). This recipe looks simpler. Last time, I made a pastry shell from Rose Levy’s “The Pie and Pastry Bible”. I think I need more practice to get it right. The pastry tasted great, but it looked like it was made by a 7 year old working with playdough. It rolled poorly and broke up in places. Sigh. Maybe there are some secret tips? Seems I have a green thumb… not so much a floured one! Still I do have the ingredients right in my backyard ! Try, try again.
    -Michaela

    • Stacey Snacks

    I make a weekly savory tart with farmer’s market produce.
    I love ricotta mixture with a fan of tomato slices on top.
    and I also use that beautiful rectangle tart pan. It’s a show stopper, especially when you cheat like I do, with frozen puff pastry!

    • L. Gordon

    Those are just baby spring onions that have been picked before developing. They are all over the farmer’s markets here in New England.

    Those are pink because they (would have) eventually turned into red onions. They are sinfully good when just roasted with olive oil, salt and pepper.

    The green tops are edible too, They taste like a strong chive and make good pesto.

    • L. Gordon

    hmm, just read those tweets. I guess you can ixnay my last post then… Maybe they are some sort of wild allium that someone picked??

    • Yvette

    One of my favorite things to eat. So delicious and the combinations are endless! The chorizo is a great idea!

    • Cookin’ Canuck

    This is gorgeous! I love the rectangular tart pan that you used. What I appreciate about recipes like this is that not only will your original recipe be a lovely treat, but it is also a great jumping off point for many variations.

    • Mimi from FKIA

    I got some baby red onions in my CSA box yesterday. I was enchanted with them. I’ve got so many onions and so much garlic. It’s too hot in Wisconsin just to bake, though. Still, this looks wonderful. Doubt that I could stop at one piece.

    • Whitney

    Beautiful! I have a new tart pan that may have to be broken in with this recipe.

    • dawn

    I love collecting all the old & new tart pans. This sounds so rich and decadent. Wonderful post David. I must make this.

    • Erin

    Savory tarts are my first love. I think I will be compelled to make this gorgeous one for lunch today.

    • Christine in DC

    I have found the recipe to make for the lunch potluck at the office this Tuesday! I had been thinking quiche, but this is more impressive.

    • krysalia

    Hmmm… i’ve searched on google translations, and “savory” means sarriette, but “savory tart” means tarte savoureuse. I’m sure you’ve made before a lot of savoureuses tartes, so I really bet i’m missing something here :D.

    • Valérie

    This post brought back memories of when I first lived on my own, six years ago. I wasn’t much of a cook back then, and neither was my roommate. But one evening, she declared: “Let’s make a tarte à la tomate, my mom used to make it all the time!” It was, and remains, one of the biggest culinary disasters in my life.

    So maybe you were right to wait this long before attempting a savoury tart – that first experience made me afraid of tarts of any sort for a long time.

    Fortunately, yours looks delicious!

    • Estelle

    David, this looks divine. Can’t wait to make it. Can you tell me which tart dough you used?

    • Tags

    Midpoint?

    Cent’Ann!

    • Anna

    Looks delicious. But artery-busting cream? That is so 1990! *Rigorous* scientific research just hasn’t been able to support the claim that butterfat is a causative factor in CVD, no matter how hard the anti-fat cohort tries.

    Don’t spare the cream, especially if it is from grass-fed (pastured) jersey cows! Butterfat from grass-fed cows (not confinement grain-fed cows) is rich in vitamin K2 (and also some Vitamin D3), which helps to put calcium where it belongs, in the teeth and in the bones, instead of lining the arteries in plaque. Check out the recent Dutch research on this. But always the cream unfairly gets the blame and negative labels like “artery-busting” or “artery-clogging”.

    I’ll definitely try this delicious-sounding recipe, but I’ll make a nut meal or coconut flour crust with pasture butter or my home-rendered lard (or a combo). Mmmmm.

    • B.

    Hi,

    I looked for a way to send you a personal email but I could not find a way. So forgive me that I’m writing this here. I like your website but I don’t think an ad saying “surprise her with a bigger …” should be displayed on your page.

    Thanks,

    • The Gardener’s Eden

    I thought I would add just a little bit of my input on the difference between a scallion and a spring onion, according to what I have been taught as a gardener:
    A scallion is any onion that produces a small bulb no bigger than the leaves are wide. Scallions are often sold as ‘bunching onions’. Welch onions, scallions and leeks are all in the same group. Sometimes also included in this group are immature bulb onions, but that isn’t really correct, and the difference is significant for the gourmet. Scallions have a milder flavor than bulb onions, even when the bulb onions are immature. (Some common American scallion, (non-bulbing), cultivars are: White Lisbon, Deep Purple and Parade… also very delicious are the French Red and common ciboule scallions… very mild for cooking)… and the Asian ‘Long White Tokyo’.
    I missed this question before. And thought this might be useful.
    -Michaela

    • Sarah

    David, I have been reading your blog for about two years now. I never miss an article. Your words, quite simply, are a religion. I appreciate your wit and your adoration for the tastes we savor in our lives. Your candor is charming and your recipes equally alluring. I continue to make your prosciutto-wrapped feta appetizers for nearly every party I attend. They are a HIT at wine tastings! Thank you for your continued culinary inspiration.

    • Sarah

    And may I also add that I first learned of your blog while watching a public television special featuring you and other food bloggers! Since that day, you’ve been a constant in my life. Betcha didn’t know it, eh?

    • David

    krysalia: It’s tarte salée, for savory tart. That’s the closest translation. (Sarriette, as you know, is the herb, which in English, is called ‘savory.’)

    B: Unfortunately I can’t see many of the ads that AdSense puts on the site because I live outside the US and they’re invisible to me. If you see a Google ad that’s offensive, you can click on where it says “Ads by Google” and report it. Or if an ad is offensive, you can send me the URL to it via the contact form on my About page and I will contact Google about it. Thanks!

    Anna: I don’t consider cream bad (heck, I wrote an ice cream book!) but whenever I use cream in a recipe, invariably folks ask about swapping it out for something else. So this time, I decided to embrace the “dark side”, although I did amend it ; )

    Estelle: I used a tart dough that I’m working on for an upcoming project (which is why I had so many in my freezer.) Folks love Clotilde’s easy tart dough, which I linked to at the end of the recipe, so I’d give that a try.

    • Kelly Bragg

    This looks scrumptious! Can’t wait to give it a try. The post was lovely too – “so in a Napoléonic sweep of power, I decree that you can use them” LOVED that!

    Thanks so much for all the amazing recipes David. You ROCK!

    • Andy

    I bought onions that look very similar at my local farmers’ market in Lincoln, NE. The farmer was calling them Tropea onions. Google and you’ll find Tropea, Italy is famous for its red onions like these.

    • mireille

    Looks good. I was just wondering how you made the green beans and tomato salad?

    • Ozoz

    I’ll make this someday soon, as soon as I’m done making the caramelized white chocolate…but with goats cheese, not ricotta (not a fan though I’ve recently used it in a tri-colour asparagus tart which was lovely). I find it a bit too sour and not very smooth to taste. Now when we talk about Creme Fraiche – thats a different matter.

    • Sunny

    David, you’ve saved my bacon once again. (This time it’s veggie bacon).

    I’m on the hook for a vegetarian (lacto-ovo) dinner in a couple of weeks, and am already starting to stress…we eat lots of fish and poultry, and almost no red meat, but all of that’s off the menu for this guest.

    You’ve now provided me with the entree….so I think I’ll use spinach or sundried tomatoes in place of the chorizo…then maybe a Portobello something or other with polenta, a big green salad, and pears poached in red wine for dessert (maybe with a little mascarpone to which I’ll add a pinch of cinnamon).

    Every time I’m puzzling over an upcoming menu, you toss me a great idea. Thanks!

    • krysalia

    David> I see ! I did not know about the english name of sariette. Thanks a lot for those details !

    • Shaheen

    David, the tart look delicious. How do you suppose feta cheese would do work in a tart like this? I’ve got a box of it waiting to be used up. Too bad though that my rectangular tart tin is lying at my cousin’s place.

    • Charlene

    Hi David!

    This looks delicious! I want to try making ricotta at home too!
    But in the process of packing boxes to move……moving is a pain!
    I hope to visit Paris again this year, may have to wait until spring due to all the moving and other expenses.

    have a good summer
    hugs from Charlene

    • Maya

    This looks fabulous! My mind is already buzzing with endless flavor variations. I’m thinking shredded zucchini with basil & ricotta since it’s summer, or in the fall I’d do roasted butternut squash, goat cheese and sage. Thanks!

    • Malini

    “Local Flavors” is one of my favorite cookbooks, because it offers up wonderful meals with authentic ingredients and without a huge investment of time. I like your adaptation and suggestions. Will give it a try. The photographs are amazing, BTW.

    • Angie McGowan

    That looks amazing! I would love to use the goat cheese, but will use ricotta, my husband actually hates goat cheese. I have got him to try wonderful goat cheese in Paris, different nice ones here, its just not his thing. I love chorizo too, great combination.

    • J

    I realize this is unrelated, but I just finally bought The Perfect Scoop and wondered if you would be kind enough to answer a question I had regarding sorbets. I would like to substitute honey for the sugar in many of the recipes as a) I find its complex flavor a superior complement to many fruits b) I find it helps keep the sorbet soft and luxurious as all too often home-made sorbet is rather icy c) it’s (at least a bit) healthier than refined white sugar. So my question is how much should I reduce the amout of sweetner (as honey is sweeter than sugar) and how much should I reduce the amount of water added to the sorbet when using honey?

    • Sunny

    Haley, shredded zucchini/courgettes and basil sounds divine…would you have to adjust anything for the extra liquid from the zucchini so it wouldn’t end up soupy? (says she who managed to break a lovely sauce this week with too much broth….)

    • David

    Shaheen: Feta should work fine, although I’d use a moist one for best result.

    Sunny & Haley: Yes, zucchini is quite watery and I’d be afraid of excess liquid seeping out.

    J: Please check out my Ice Cream Q & A page, which is listed in the sidebar. I think that question is answered there (in general I use 2/3 -3/4 cup honey per cup in sugar)

    • Lindsey

    David, this tart is most definitely on the menu this week! Looks amazing and doesn’t seem complicated to make! Thank you!

    • Carla

    Hi David, Another great post! How did you prepare the green beens and tomato’s? Thanks

    • Lindsey

    I make a very similar one for when on the régime. I use whatever cheese and veg I have around-but feta, asparagus, sun dried tomatoes and spinach is a favorite. 2 egg whites and 1-2 whole egg(s), milk, no cream, no tart shell… Not as tasty maybe but pretty good for régime fare.

    • Charlotte

    Merci David for a great idea for Meatless Monday! Looks delicious with the green beans and tomatoes too. By the way, I’m loving The Sweet Life in Paris… I’m trying to read it slowly, only a little bit at a time, to stretch it out as long as possible… thank you for such an entertaining book!

    • simona

    I have no idea how you translate “cive” in english, but of one thing I’m sure: it’s not green garlic ( based on your photo). Green garlic has FLAT leaves and and these ones are just like those of the scallion. So it’s probably a reddish kind of scalion, like there are red onions.
    That of course does not mean you can’t use green garlic. Just expect an….garlicky taste.

    PS. Being a professional translator, I was curious if I was right: so I decided to check the Petit Larousse- and sure enough – there it was: CIVE: latin CEPA , ognion, Synonime de Ciboule ( which is a kind of onion).

    No more war! More onions, cive, ciboule, ciboulette and good wine!

    • Susan

    David, that is one beautiful, tasty sounding tart. I can’t wait to make it. I’ve finally gotten pastry dough to work for me, it’s only been about 30 years of struggle!. The fraisage method made all the difference in the world in how the dough handles to me, even using all butter, and it’s so flakey too, Gah! What took me so long? So, with my new method..I’m excited to have a very tasty reason to make another crust.
    I have tart part envy now. That tart is so pretty in that rectangular pan.

    • Dan Bleich

    Thanks for this one David. Made it last night and it turned out great. I made it using your French Pastry recipe (no sugar), and your recipe for homemade ricotta (easy, but a bit expensive to make), but, very good. I used the chorizo in the recipe, and it really added to the tart. Excellent.

    • Laura [What I Like]

    How funny…I just made a crustless version of this last night for dinner! Although I took the lazy route and didn’t pre-cook anything. I just threw together a pound of so of fresh ricotta with a few shredded (and salted, moisture pressed out) zucchinis, shallots, lemon zest, thyme, garlic and a couple of eggs and then dumped it in a cake pan. Surprisingly delicious! And not too caloric (I think?).

    • Gaby

    wow wow wow – this looks delicious! I am going to make this and bring it to culinary school this week – my teacher will be in heaven! She loves you!

    • Kristilyn

    This looks delicious! I’ve never made a tart before, savoury or sweet, but this one sounds interesting. And it looks like it would go great with a summer salad!

    K

    • Keith

    That looks delicious. I definitely want to try my hand at that. Thanks for sharing it with us. You’ve got a wonderful blog. This is my first time visiting it. Have a great week. Cheers!

    • dana joy altman

    damn, I need a tart pan like that one! glad you went to the dark side and made something savory, I’ll be making it for sure. thanks as always, davide!

    • Paula

    I just made here in Marseille this using “brousse” – a ricotta-like cheese from Corsica, along with sauteed zucchini in place of the chorizo and mint as the herb. It worked brilliantly. Thanks!

    • David

    Paula: I love brousse! The first time I had it, well, I fell hard for it. And adding mint is a great idea. Have fun in Marseille..(and drink plenty of rosé on ice for me…)

    Simona: Thanks. There’s so many words for the various onion and onion-like things, a few bilingual French friends swore cive was ‘chive’ but these are much wider.

    dana + Susan: J’adore this tart pan. I bought it at Kitchen Bazaar in Paris. It’s non-stick and the shape is fun. It’s harder to find rectangular and square tart pans, and this one is a keeper.

    Laura: Merci for the report on the crustless version. I was thinking that would work but hadn’t tried it. I would imagine this could be baked in ramekins and then unmolded, and served as individual portions with salad.

    • Kristina

    This looks fantastic! I will for sure try it soon.

    • Risamay

    Damn that looks good. And puhrty, too.

    • Kimberly Fisher

    Yum… I love savory tarts, and this one looks amazing! Your French Tart Dough recipe has made making tarts of all kinds easy enough for a weeknight rather than saved for special occasions. Thanks!

    • Jenny

    David,

    A few years ago I found out that the sulfites in wine, and caffeine in coffee, tea and chocolate were behind the vicious migraines I was having on a weekly basis. I have found a few organic wines that have no added sulfites that I can drink, but cannot
    even drink decaf when it comes to coffee or tea ;(

    It seems like when I was in Italy a few years ago that someone told me that European wines don’t have added sulfites and only add them when they are shipped to the US. Do you have any information about this? Also do you know if all chocolate has caffeine in it? I think I can eat white chocolate, but haven’t risked it yet.

    • Buntköchin

    Very delicious photo! Thank you for grams in the recipe. I will try to prepare it in the same way.

    • Jenny Kivett

    This looks like it will be very good. I have not tried it yet, but after reviewing the recipe, I have what some veterans might think is a dumb question, but here it goes:

    After completing step 1, what do you do with the scallions and thyme that you just cooked through? Unless I’m missing something, it is not mentioned again.

    So, do I add it in with the filling in step 3, or is it the “fresh thyme” that you refer to when sprinkling over the top of the tart at the end?

    Thanks for your help.

    You add them to the rest of the filling, as shown in the picture. I clarified that in the instructions, too. -dl

    • Nan

    Hi David: I have a question about your Moroccan Preserved Lemons…sorry, I hope you can remember them?? You say to put them into a jar and to keep adding lemons and liquid each day…but you don’t say to put the jar into the refrigerator until the lemons are soft – is that correct or should they be refrigerated on the first day? I’m dying to make them – and this tart, too! Thanks! Nan

    • ritanyc

    Two of my daughter’s fave ingredients (for now) happen to be scallions and chorizo, so this recipe really did “jump out at me”. Made it tonight and got rave reviews. I cooked the chorizo a bit to render some fat. Also I don’t have one of those sexy tart pans and had to use a pie pan so the balance of crust to filling was slightly off.

    I noticed the scallion step missing as well, but since I “know” David’s method, it wasn’t a big deal. And the olive oil crust recipe is THE jam. I never knew such a thing existed.

    • J Bean

    Nice. I made one last night to have for dinner tonight. I used leek and pancetta because I had paella last night and I wasn’t up for chorizo two nights in a row. I had an excess of whole milk in the refrigerator, so I made mine with very fresh ricotta.

    • Kelly-Jane

    Lovely looking savoury tart.

    I’m sure I’ve bought onions like that before here in Scotland. If my memory is right (and I’d not bet on it just now) they were called red or purple spring onions.

    • Sandie

    This is the quintessential summer meal. I can easily envision serving this for breakfast or lunch—or perhaps just splitting the difference and going for brunch! Also, I haven’t heard of this cookbook before, but it’s definitely something I would be interested in. Frequenting local farmers’ markets are one of the great pleasures of the season and I shall keep an eye out for the book. Thanks for bringing it to my attention.

    • Laura

    To My New Hero, David Lebovitz~
    I stumbled upon your site looking for the answer to the question of whether or not I could add liquor (tequila and gran marnier, to be exact) for a frozen Margarita Pie that uses Ice Cream as it’s base. I wanted to make the pie today, but the recipe excluded the booze(?!) I found your Absinthe Ice Cream recipe and have been sitting in front of this monitor for the full 3 hours since. It’s so hot now in Florida that I just can’t bake and my old man and I are going through withdrawals. Am thinking about selling my youngest offspring for a convection oven at this point.

    Within a short time here, my mind began doing jumping jacks as I began internally rearranging my next few weeks’ menus to include some of your amazing offerings on this site!! Point in fact, the Ricotta Tart!

    I thought I was a hot shot because I contribute to a little site called yummyfood.net whose owners are friends from Italy and San Diego. After exhausting myself here, (because it feels like Christmas opening each page enthusiastically!!); I feel like the last little ant at a really big picnic! Thank you for your incredible dry sense of humor and this awesome site, David! When I wrap this up I am marching right into the kitchen to replace all my Veggie refrigerator magnets with the photo of you I just printed from the site!

    • Mari

    I’m not quite ready to make my own ricotta yet, but I have recently found a source for bufula ricotta in Amsterdam, so this recipe and I have a date for this weekend. Thank you for sharing!

    • Jean Marie

    I made this tart for dinner last night and it was really delicious. The best part is that I finally have a recipe for pastry dough that works. All those years of cutting butter into bits, chilling dough, rolling out quickly, trying to get it into the tart pan/pie plate, only to have it heartbreakingly tear apart – over! Thank you so much for sharing the oven-heated butter recipe. Even I couldn’t screw it up and that’s saying something.

    • Sunny

    made it tonight as a dry run — I get extra points for devotion for having the oven on today — it was hot, even outside of Paris. Good on you, David, for having escaped to the beach. If it’s this hot in the country, the city must be unbearable. (and for all those who think I’m weak…I’ve lived in Florida for 25 years — and 95F/35C is hot, hot, hot, I don’t care where it is!)

    Couldn’t find the cive — there are only about 10 vendors at my marche because it’s August and everyone’s gone, so I made it with leeks, and used sundried tomatoes for a vegetarian version.

    Needed LOTS more tomatoes — and while the leeks aren’t bad, I think the drained spinach would be far, far better.

    But I like the recipe — and look forward to lots and lots of variations. Think I’ll add some mozzarella to the ricotta next time — so sundried tomatoes, spinach, fresh mozzarella, a little garlic, and basil.

    • MarcoAndres

    Cive
    Cive\, n. (Bot.) Same as Chive.
    http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/cive?r=66
    Still 250g of chives is a lot ! There are ramps (spring onions, not green onions).

    Not to be confused with civet (small, lithe-bodied, mostly arboreal mammals native to the tropics of Africa and Asia. Civet may also refer to the distinctive musk produced by the animal.)

    Definitions are tricky – to paraphrase “a word means exactly what I want it to” Alice in Wonderland

    • Corie

    I made this tart for dinner tonight and it was wonderful. Plus, the dough was super easy to make and I agree with Jean Marie about not going back to the old way of making tart dough. I also used your vanilla ice cream recipe and served it up for dessert with a chocolate espresso cake. Thanks for all the great recipes!!

    • tom | tall clover farm

    I may need a forklift to harvest a couple heirloom tomatoes this summer, or perhaps a wheelbarrow will suffice. Either way, I’m gloating over a great tomato summer and the big boys are on the vine awaiting a worthy vehicle or accompaniment. No doubt, they will be eager to share the plate with something as delectable as this tart. Merci. -TC

    • Julia

    Hi David,

    I just made this tart and it was wonderful. I added a handful of fresh mint and parsley as well, which tasted great. I didn’t have any cream at home and instead used home made Greek yoghurt and this turned out to be a great substitute, because it is thick and creamy without being too heavy. I used Clotilde’s Olive Oil pastry and it’s a fantastically easy recipe to master.

    I’ve just returned home (Melbourne, Australia) after having spent a year living and studying in Paris and your blog is making me miss the French life a lot!

    Thanks,

    Julia

    • Guy William Molnar

    I made this yesterday and it was sublime, thank you so much. I have a round 12-inch tart pan, so I multiplied the dairy ingredients by 1.5 (I used 8 oz of ricotta and 4 of goat cheese) and used two eggs. The scallions worked fine but I think next time I’ll try leeks. I made my dough using 2 cups of all-purpose flour and a stick and a half of butter with a little salt and ice water. Took nearly an hour to bake but – as I said – sublime!

    I would also be grateful for suggestions about your green-bean-and-tomato salad. I’ve just moved to a rural part of eastern Pennsylvania and the produce from the Amish farm stand at the end of my road is to die for – tomatoes right out of a Garrison Keillor story. I tossed green beans with tomato wedges and a dressing of a little vinegar, olive oil, lemon zest, and rosemary, but it was adequate at best and I was hoping for perfection. Suggestions?

    • david

    Hi Guy: Glad you liked the tart. I got a nice note from Deborah Madison that she thought my tart looked pretty good, too! : )

    For the salad it was simply tomatoes and lightly steamed green beans. When a salad is that basic, it is best to use very good olive oil as well as good vinegar-I often use sherry vinegar because it is pretty mild but tasty. Sea salt is also important; as is freshly ground pepper. Sometimes, like you, I will add herbs but I find rosemary a bit strong so I use flat leaf parsley, basil, or thyme…Other than that–that’s it!

    • Tiina

    This is a great recipe! I used it today as a basis for a tart (must say as a basis, as I did not have quite the same ingredients available:)) Anyway, it is easy and tasty, just the way I like recipes to be! I will definitely use this one many times.

    Thanks for posting this recipe and if you want to see what my tart looked like, you’ll find it here: http://cinnamonda.blogspot.com/2009/08/little-celebration.html

    Greetings,
    Tiina

    • Kelsey/TheNaptimeChef

    This is a fantastic recipe. I can’t believe you, of all people, took this long to make a savory tart! I love making them for both breakfast and dinner. I can’t wait to try this new variation.

    • Hallowen

    This was really good, thanks!

    • JERI COTA

    I made this recipe last night, wonderful and my husband loved it. My favorite part of it though was that I made your recipe for Ricotta Cheese!! What fun, I texted all my friends to brag about it. Thanks, Jeri

    • Heidi

    I’m not quite sure, but after a certain amount of research, I think ramps are what is sold in the supermarket here in Switzerland as “ail à couper”. They look a lot like “ail d’ours”, but it’s not quite the same thing. Ail d’ours looks more like long thin perfect strips of grass- ail à couper isn’t so thin, and not quite so perfect.

    Having never seen ramps, however, I can’t guarantee this.

    • Nancy Singleton Hachisu

    Hi David,

    Your name popped up in my Culinate Friends’ updates. I remember Giovanna mentioning you so I clicked. Lovely photos. I avoid your site these days because we couldn’t get to France this year and your food tales and visuals are all too evocative.

    This is a late response to your querry re: the cives. For my money, they look like a immature version of those elongated red onion/shallots you find all over Provence in the summer. I checked my photos and could not find one and can not for the life of me come up with the name. If you check your photo of the cives then you’ll see the germinating parts inside the onion. They clearly haven’t reached maturity (well, I guess you figured that out by the conclusion that they are “spring onions”). It seems unusual you would find them in August.

    We have something called nobiru here in Japan. I found out at a Slow Food Nation workshop that those are ramps. I’ve got a gorgeous photo if you’re interested. Lindsey and Charles think they are also called wild onions in English. Most people find them too much trouble, but as a first taste of spring, nobiru are fantastic dug into some earthy organic miso.

    Nancy

    • Christine in DC

    Wanted to follow up to say I made the tart, and it was a hit at my office party…I made it with the pressed in tart pastry. Super simple! Though I did nearly burn myself on the bowl. I think if I did it again, I’d use something stronger tasting. I used scallions and store bought ricotta…it wasn’t very flavorful, so I’d probably opt for throwing in some feta or a sharp cheese or additional herbs or something. But, all in all, thanks for giving me my first tart making experience!!! Now to find an occasion to make a sweet tart…and I have to have an occasion because otherwise, I’d be tempted to eat it all!

    • TheWoman

    This looks delicious! Just the right thing as we head into spring in the southern hemisphere.

    • Shannan

    I made a double batch (which works well doubled BTW) of your ricotta (got the recipe over at Simply Recipes) and made my first completely from scratch with goodies from my garden veggie lasagna. God.

    Anyway, I had extra ricotta so I was happy to see you had a way to use that properly here with this tart. Made it last night. I used the full amount of ricotta and a half round (about an oz.) of Bijou goat. I also was lucky enough to have some wild onions and thick cut pepper bacon so – no shopping! I used your recipe for olive oil crust.

    David… Lord it was good. I wish I could say we got 8 servings from it. Thank you for the idea of the beans and tomatoes along side. We happened to have PILES of both and it cut the richness of the tart perfectly.

    • meg

    hi david,
    i used store bought ricotta and used all the ingredients the way you’d suggested. but the filling is too runny now and i am terrified my tartlets are going to be oozy…any suggestions on how i can make the filling thicker?

    this is my first time cooking with ricotta and i should have drained it….

    thanks,
    meg

    • David

    The filling will be runny before it’s baked, and should set up in the oven. Most ricotta you buy is already well-drained so that shouldn’t be a problem.

    • Elena Losseva

    I love this recipe; made it many times. It looks exactly like your picture and tastes great. I use leeks and porcini mushrooms. Low fat recotta turns out more runny, so no need to add cream/milk. Full fat ricotta (10%m.f.) has less moisture and some milk and/or cream can be added.

    • Magda

    Hi David – this flavor combination is a work of genius, and the chorizo adds both flavor and interesting texture! I put green onions, garlic scapes and basil in the filling and used it to make a phyllo dough pie. It worked beautifully. Thank you!

    • Beth

    Prepared with the olive oil/rosemary crust this past weekend for a July 4 potluck — extraordinarily well received. This dish is GENIUS.

    • Mariele McBride

    Hi David, just discovered you because I was looking for a Lemon Verbena Ice Cream after buying 8 plants at 50 cents each. Have not made it yet but looking forward to it.

    I rummaged around your website and found this recipe including what looked like RAMPS, some of which I have in my freezer. A friend and I were foraging for these lovely things this Spring in Michigan, and we just adore the taste. We were a little late in the season but got bags full, and the only drawback is the cleaning and blanching etc. The stems are a little tough, but I made a lovely ramp and potato soup, nothing like the regular vichyssoise.

    Then I went on to look at your home-made ricotta etc – so I could spend the whole day looking at all the good things you make and drooling all over my laptop – and not get anything else done.

    thank you –

    • SavvyChristine

    I should have known that you’d have a recipe for ricotta pie. My searches always bring me back here, despite my not-so-recent forays into gluten-free, corn-free, and sugar-free (sigh) cooking.

    I’m picturing this with a zucchini crust and perhaps some more vegetables. Got to combat the fifth snowstorm in two weeks somehow. Thanks for the inspiration!

A

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