Τάρτα Μέτσοβου / Tart Metsovou
Here is another everyday easy meal; there’s no need to spend time making your own pastry for this tart, after all it is also known as ‘Lazy woman’s / man’s pie’. In Greece, they use thick filo pastry which is not available in the UK, however, puff pastry is a good substitute.
The recipe and its name comes from the beautiful mountainous region of Metsovo in the Eastern Greek mainland which I was so lucky to visit. A similar tart was made for me in Athens by food writer and journalist Aglaia Kremezi when I was filming my Simply Greek show. I have also cooked this on Sky TV for Granada television, a good few years ago, but of course I have tweaked the recipe. It’s excellent for a light lunch or a snack with a salad, and the kids will love it – it’s nicer than Pizza! Let them create their own toppings.
Ingredients (serves 4):
1 x 375g (14oz) pack ready rolled puff pastry
200g (7oz) Feta cheese, rinsed and crumbled
2 eggs, lightly beaten
6 tbsp of double cream
Freshly ground black pepper
Freshly ground nutmeg
A pinch of dried oregano
14 Kalamata pitted black olives
8 cherry tomatoes cut in half
Rocket for decorating
1 Swiss roll tray or a baking sheet 36cm x 23cm (14” x 9”)
Rocket
Method:
Preheat the oven to 200°c / 400 °f / Gas mark 6 and place the baking tray in the oven to heat up for 10 minutes while you prepare your filling.
Unroll the pastry on its paper, roll lightly and score a 2.5cm (1 inch) border around the edge, and with a fork, prick the bottom all over.
Remove the tray from the oven and slide the pastry still on its wrapping paper onto it. Scatter the feta cheese on the pastry, keeping inside the border. Beat the eggs in a small bowl with the cream, oregano, nutmeg and pepper, and pour over the pastry.
Scatter the tomatoes (cut side up) and the black pitted olives. Bake in a pre-heated oven at 200°c / 400 °f / Gas mark 6 for 25 – 30 minutes or until the pastry is golden, has puffed up and is crisp and golden.
To serve, scatter with rocket, cut into rectangles or any shapes you like and serve immediately with a lettuce salad.
