Roasted Vegetable Egg Tart

Tons of ripe vegetables are roasted until sweet and tender, then suspended in a savoury custard that's baked to golden-brown perfection.

Pastry:
2 cups all-purpose flour, unbleached
¾ tsp. sea salt
½ tsp. sugar
10 Tbsp. (1¼ sticks) butter, chilled, cut into ½" cubes

Filling:
2 red bell peppers
11 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 medium eggplant, cut into 1" cubes
sea salt
black pepper, freshly ground
1 small red sweet potato, peeled, cut into ½" cubes
2 medium vine-ripened tomatoes, each cut into 8 wedges
1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
2 small onions, thinly sliced
1 small bulb fennel, thinly sliced
2 tsp. fresh thyme leaves, divided
4 oz fresh goat cheese, crumbled
2 large eggs
¾ cup heavy cream

Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C/160°C fan, Gas Mark 4).

For the Pastry:
Pulse 2 cups flour, salt, and sugar in a food processor. Add butter; pulse until coarse meal with pea-size lumps forms. Drizzle 3 Tbsp. ice water over mixture. Pulse until moist clumps form, adding more ice water by ½ Tbsp. if dry. Gather dough into a ball; flatten into a disk. Wrap in plastic; chill until firm, at least 1 hour and up to 2 days.

Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface to a 13" round. Transfer to pie dish; press onto bottom and up sides of dish. Trim dough, leaving ½" overhang. Fold overhang under; crimp edges. Freeze for 10 minutes.

Line dough with foil or parchment paper; fill with dried beans or pie weights. Bake for 25 minutes. Remove foil and beans. Return to oven and bake until crust is light golden brown, 25-30 minutes longer. Let crust cool completely.

Make-Ahead: Can be made 1 day ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.

Preheat an oven to 450°F (230°C/210°C fan, Gas Mark 8). Arrange racks in upper and lower thirds of oven.

For the Filling:
Using a small paring knife, cut around stems of bell peppers. Lift out stems with seeds and discard. Transfer whole peppers to a small baking dish; drizzle with 2 Tbsp. oil. Roast on upper rack, turning peppers occasionally, until tender, about 40 minutes. Transfer peppers to a small bowl; cover with plastic wrap. Let stand for 15 minutes. Peel peppers, then tear into strips. Set aside.

Meanwhile, toss eggplant with 4 Tbsp. oil in a small bowl to coat. Season with salt and pepper. Spread out in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet and roast on lower rack for 10 minutes. Add sweet potato to eggplant and mix gently. Continue roasting until eggplant and sweet potato are tender, 20-25 minutes longer. Set vegetables aside.

Line another rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Toss tomatoes with vinegar, 1 Tbsp. oil, and a pinch of salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Arrange tomatoes, skin side down, on prepared sheet. Roast on lower rack until tomatoes are beginning to brown and are tender but not mushy, about 20 minutes. Set aside.

Meanwhile, heat remaining 4 Tbsp. oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and fennel; cook, stirring frequently, until parts of vegetables are slightly softened and others still crisp, 5-6 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.

Make-Ahead: Vegetables can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover separately and chill.

Preheat an oven to 350°F (180°C/160°C fan, Gas Mark 4).

Scatter onion-fennel mixture over bottom of tart crust. Top with eggplant-sweet potato mixture and roasted peppers. Scatter 1 tsp. thyme over. Top with goat cheese and tomatoes.

Whisk eggs and cream in a small bowl; season lightly with salt and pepper. Slowly pour egg mixture over vegetables. Scatter remaining 1 tsp. thyme on top.

Bake tart until filling is set and pastry is golden brown, 50-60 minutes. Let stand for at least 10 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Makes 8 servings.