This is a simple yet elegant tart from Fran Gage. The roasted garlic custard makes a wonderful savory flan on its own, and the crust is perfect for other savory tarts (the recipe makes enough dough for 2 tarts; freeze the extra dough to use later). For even more complex flavor, roast the mushrooms as well as the garlic in the wood-fired oven.
Recipe information
Yield
makes one 9-inch tart; serves 6 as a main course
Ingredients
Savory Tart Dough
Filling
Preparation
Step 1
Prepare a medium-hot fire (450°F) in a wood-fired oven or cooker.
Step 2
To make the dough, stir the flour and salt together in a bowl. Using your fingertips or a pastry blender, rub or cut the butter into the flour until some of the butter is in flakes and other pieces are the size of peas.
Step 3
Stir in the water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until all of the ingredients are moistened. Form the dough into a ball. It will still look a little rough, with some streaks of butter. On a floured board, cut the dough in half, flatten each piece into a disk, and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 3 days. The dough can also be frozen for 1 month.
Step 4
Roll out 1 disk into an 11-inch round. The dough should be 1/8 inch thick. Transfer it to a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom and fit it into the pan. Run a rolling pin over the top to remove the excess dough. Refrigerate the lined pan while making the filling.
Step 5
To make the filling, cut the stem ends from the garlic cloves, put the cloves in a small baking dish, and drizzle with olive oil. Roast until soft, about 20 minutes.
Step 6
Meanwhile, heat the 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet until it shimmers. Add the mushrooms and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until the mushrooms soften, glisten, and squeak, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool.
Step 7
Remove the garlic from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes. Squeeze the insides of the cloves onto a work surface and chop finely. Place in a bowl. Whisk in the eggs and half-and-half. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Step 8
Strew the mushrooms over the bottom of the lined tart pan and pour the custard over them. Put the pan on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Slide the sheet onto the hearth of the oven and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the crust is brown and the custard is puffed and golden brown. Let cool on a wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.
