My father is a gardener. He takes simple pleasure in spending his days with dirt on his hands and thoughts of flowers in his heart. If you visit my parent’s home in Spring or Summer, you’ll be overwhelmed with the vibrant blooms. From the delicate purple of the Irises to the vibrant pinks of the roses, my father’s garden shouts, “New and beautiful life is here!”.
Growing up, I spent many weekends shoveling dirt, watering flower beds, and moving 2x4s. I rode around on those bright orange flat bed carts in Home Depot while my dad picked out shrubs and bulbs, potting soil and fertilizer. I swore I would never garden when I grew up. Too much work, too much sweat, not nearly enough fun.
But then…like all my sisters…I grew up and found that once again, my dad knew what he was doing. There is something restorative about taking a seed or a bulb or a barely grown plant and finding it a place in the ground you tilled. Watering, watching, weeding, hoping, and then one day…your work and waiting results in a flower or a vegetable more perfect and beautiful than any work of art.
Growing up, I spent many weekends shoveling dirt, watering flower beds, and moving 2x4s. I rode around on those bright orange flat bed carts in Home Depot while my dad picked out shrubs and bulbs, potting soil and fertilizer. I swore I would never garden when I grew up. Too much work, too much sweat, not nearly enough fun.
But then…like all my sisters…I grew up and found that once again, my dad knew what he was doing. There is something restorative about taking a seed or a bulb or a barely grown plant and finding it a place in the ground you tilled. Watering, watching, weeding, hoping, and then one day…your work and waiting results in a flower or a vegetable more perfect and beautiful than any work of art.
When I married Ryan, we lived in a downtown apartment in Denver. We had no yard. We had no plants. But then we moved to Austin, and my sweet husband followed in my dad’s footsteps. Ryan gardens now, and I follow him out to our raised beds as we lift the leaves of our eggplant before watering them, as we pluck off a ripened tomato and savor its sweetness.
Each time I tend to our plants, I think of my father. I imagine him doing the same hundreds of miles away. I remember the mornings we spent out in his yard, all the lessons I learned that I thought I’d never need. My dad’s wisdom carries me through my days, my weeks, and has brought forth new life (both in my garden and in my soul).
My dad loves tomatoes and peppers, and we’re growing them in our backyard now. My dear friend, Gwynne, shared this recipe with me a few weeks ago, and when we made it, I wished I could hand deliver one of these tarts to my father.
The crust is unique…it is made with yeast. I was surprised at how well it worked, and how light and flavorful the crust tasted. This recipe does require time, but the effort is worth the end result. If you are pressed, feel free to buy a jar of roasted tomatoes. But if you have an afternoon, there is nothing more delightful than charring the skins of two plump bell peppers and then peeling them off while you chat with a friend (or even just your cat).
Each time I tend to our plants, I think of my father. I imagine him doing the same hundreds of miles away. I remember the mornings we spent out in his yard, all the lessons I learned that I thought I’d never need. My dad’s wisdom carries me through my days, my weeks, and has brought forth new life (both in my garden and in my soul).
My dad loves tomatoes and peppers, and we’re growing them in our backyard now. My dear friend, Gwynne, shared this recipe with me a few weeks ago, and when we made it, I wished I could hand deliver one of these tarts to my father.
The crust is unique…it is made with yeast. I was surprised at how well it worked, and how light and flavorful the crust tasted. This recipe does require time, but the effort is worth the end result. If you are pressed, feel free to buy a jar of roasted tomatoes. But if you have an afternoon, there is nothing more delightful than charring the skins of two plump bell peppers and then peeling them off while you chat with a friend (or even just your cat).
Roasted Red Pepper and Kalamata Olive Tart
Yeasted Tart Dough
2 tsp yeast
½ tsp sugar
½ cup warm water
3 TBSP olive oil
1 egg
½ tsp salt
1 ¾ cup flour
1. In a large bowl, dissolve yeast and sugar in your warm water. Allow to sit until foamy (about 10 minutes).
2.In a separate bowl, whisk together your oil, egg and salt. Stir into yeast mixture and sift in flour.
3. Knead dough for 5-8 minutes or until smooth. Cover with plastic wrap or a towel, and allow to rest at room temperature for 45 minutes to an hour. Meanwhile, make the filling.
2 red onions, halved and thinly sliced
3 TBSP, olive oil
1 ½ pounds ripe tomatoes
3 large red bell peppers
3 large garlic cloves
1/8 tsp saffron thread
¼ tsp anise seeds
Salt and pepper
2 TBSP fresh chopped basil
8 kalamata olives, halved and pitted.
1. Roast the red peppers whole, under a broiler, rotating every couple of minute until they are evenly mottled. Place the peppers in a bowl and cover with a plate or cutting board to let the skins steam off ~ 15 minutes. Peel and seed the peppers and finely chop up all but 2/3 or one pepper. Cut the reserved 2/3 pepper into thin strips.
2. Cook the onions in the oil over medium heat until they are soft, about 12-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, turn down the heat to low and continue cooking for 5-10 minutes more. Do not burn. While the peppers are cooking, peel, seed, and finely chop the tomatoes (to peel tomatoes, cut an X shape in the bottom of each tomato, place in a bowl and pour boiling water over them. Let them sit for a minute or two, then pour out the hot water and cover them in cool water. Drain and peel). Add the garlic, chopped tomatoes and diced peppers to the onions, crumble the saffron threads and anise seeds into the mixture, and season with 1/2 tsp salt and a little pepper. Cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, especially towards the end. The mixture should be quite thick. Taste for salt and stir in the basil leaves.
3. Preheat the oven to 400°F/210°C. Roll out the dough and drape it over a 10 inch tart pan. There will be plenty of overhang.
4.Trim it and crimp the dough around the rim. Add the filling. Take the reserved, narrow strips of pepper and use the to make a lattice design over the top (I didn’t have quite enough pepper to do this — any design you make will be lovely). Place the olives in the spaces formed by the peppers
5. Bake for 35 minutes. Remove and brush the rim of the crust with olive oil. Unmold the tart onto a platter and serve.
Always,
Monet
Anecdotes and Apple Cores
Yeasted Tart Dough
2 tsp yeast
½ tsp sugar
½ cup warm water
3 TBSP olive oil
1 egg
½ tsp salt
1 ¾ cup flour
1. In a large bowl, dissolve yeast and sugar in your warm water. Allow to sit until foamy (about 10 minutes).
2.In a separate bowl, whisk together your oil, egg and salt. Stir into yeast mixture and sift in flour.
3. Knead dough for 5-8 minutes or until smooth. Cover with plastic wrap or a towel, and allow to rest at room temperature for 45 minutes to an hour. Meanwhile, make the filling.
2 red onions, halved and thinly sliced
3 TBSP, olive oil
1 ½ pounds ripe tomatoes
3 large red bell peppers
3 large garlic cloves
1/8 tsp saffron thread
¼ tsp anise seeds
Salt and pepper
2 TBSP fresh chopped basil
8 kalamata olives, halved and pitted.
1. Roast the red peppers whole, under a broiler, rotating every couple of minute until they are evenly mottled. Place the peppers in a bowl and cover with a plate or cutting board to let the skins steam off ~ 15 minutes. Peel and seed the peppers and finely chop up all but 2/3 or one pepper. Cut the reserved 2/3 pepper into thin strips.
2. Cook the onions in the oil over medium heat until they are soft, about 12-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, turn down the heat to low and continue cooking for 5-10 minutes more. Do not burn. While the peppers are cooking, peel, seed, and finely chop the tomatoes (to peel tomatoes, cut an X shape in the bottom of each tomato, place in a bowl and pour boiling water over them. Let them sit for a minute or two, then pour out the hot water and cover them in cool water. Drain and peel). Add the garlic, chopped tomatoes and diced peppers to the onions, crumble the saffron threads and anise seeds into the mixture, and season with 1/2 tsp salt and a little pepper. Cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, especially towards the end. The mixture should be quite thick. Taste for salt and stir in the basil leaves.
3. Preheat the oven to 400°F/210°C. Roll out the dough and drape it over a 10 inch tart pan. There will be plenty of overhang.
4.Trim it and crimp the dough around the rim. Add the filling. Take the reserved, narrow strips of pepper and use the to make a lattice design over the top (I didn’t have quite enough pepper to do this — any design you make will be lovely). Place the olives in the spaces formed by the peppers
5. Bake for 35 minutes. Remove and brush the rim of the crust with olive oil. Unmold the tart onto a platter and serve.
Always,
Monet
Anecdotes and Apple Cores
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