Empty the fridge savoury tart

Sometimes the simplest of meals are the most satisfying!

A few Saturdays ago, after a Swedish gymnastics session at the park, I returned home completely famished. The fridge was next to empty as I had planned to do the groceries in the afternoon to avoid the huge amounts of people at the supermarket on Saturday mornings.

I was having people over that evening so I knew I would need the extra space in the fridge to store the no bake lemon cheesecake I was going to make, as well as the week’s groceries. So I decided to empty the fridge even further, and in order to do so, I used my favourite technique: a savoury tart with whatever bits and bobs were in the fridge.

I really wasn’t expecting anything particular from this simple lunch, but it was surprisingly satisfying and tasty, so I decided to share it with you despite how simple it is.

You can replace pretty much all of the ingredients with whatever you have on hand: no tomatoes? Throw on some chopped peppers. No bacon? Some leftover shredded chicken would work fine, too.

Enjoy!

Tomato, bacon and mozzarella tart

Serves 4

Ingredients

• One fresh puff pastry (if homemade, great! Otherwise store bought is fine)
• A tub of cherry tomatoes
• One ball of mozzarella
• French mustard
• About ten basil leaves
• 3 rashers of bacon
• Dried oregano or herbes de provence

How to

1. Remove the puff pastry from the fridge and leave for five minutes so it can come back to room temperature.
2. Rinse cherry tomatoes and cut in half. You can try this technique to go faster: I’ve never managed to do it this way myself, but it might work for you!
3. Rinse basil leaves and roughly chop.Set aside.
4. Turn on the oven at 200 degrees.
5. Unroll the puff pastry and place in a tart dish. Cut away excess greaseproof paper and press the pastry up onto the sides of the dish. Prick all over with a fork to prevent the pastry from inflating in the oven.
6. Spread French mustard all over the bottom of the pastry with a fork. Be generous: the rest of the ingredients are quite mild by comparison.
7. Dot cherry tomatoes over the pastry, cut side down. Sprinkle basil over the top.
8. Chop bacon and mozzarella into chunks and add to the the tart.
9. Sprinkle with oregano and any other dried herbs you have on hand.
10. Bake for 20minutes, until the cheese is melted and golden.
11. Serve with a cucumber salad.