Ingredients:
For the short crust pastry
- 300 gm …… plain flour (maida)
- 150 gm …… salted butter, cut into small cubes and chilled
- 3-4 tbsp …. cold water
For the filling
- 1 large ………….. onion, chopped
- 1 medium ………. tomato, chopped
- 1 small ………….. capsicum (green bell pepper), chopped
- 2 cup ……………. small broccoli florets
- 2 tbsp …………… oil
- 1 tbsp …………… salted butter
- 1 tbsp …………… red chili powder
- salt ……………….. to taste
- lemon juice …….. according to taste
- 1/2 tsp …………… sugar
- 1 tbsp ……………. dried oregano
- 1 tsp …………….. tomato ketchup
- 4-5 ………………. fresh basil leaves (optional)
- 1 cube …………… processed cheddar cheese
Method:
For the filling
- Steam the broccoli till it softens. You can use a vegetable steamer or microwave it for 4 minutes. Set aside.
- Heat oil in a pan. Add butter at the same time. When hot, add dried oregano and chopped onions.
- Saute till onion turns brown. Add capsicum, tomatoes, salt, ketchup, red chili powder and sugar.
- Mix well till tomatoes soften. Add the broccoli and lemon juice. At this point, check your seasoning and adjust if required.
- Set aside to cool.
For the Pastry
- Take the flour in a bowl. Add butter. Mix the butter with your fingertips till the butter melts and you get crumbly flour. Add water and mix till you get firm dough. Do not knead too much. Cover and keep in the refrigerator for 10-15 minutes.
- Remove the dough from the fridge. Divide it into two pieces. Sprinkle some dry flour on the dough. On a rolling board, roll each piece between 2 sheets of polythene. Roll till it is evenly thin and about 8-9″ in diameter. Your pastry sheets are ready.
Assemble and Bake
- Take a 8″ tart tin and grease it with oil. Place one of the pastry sheet on the tin and set it firmly against the edges. Do not prick it.
- Add the filling on top and spread it evenly. Shred the cheese over it. Add some fresh basil leaves on top.
- Place the second pastry sheet over it. Cut the extra dough and seal it by pressing with a fork along the edge. Make a cross at the center to let the hot air escape.
- Brush some melted butter on the top to get a nice crust.
- Bake for about 60 minutes in a pre-heated over at 200 C (400F). Remove from the oven and rest it on the wire rack for 5 minutes. Remove from the tin and cut into pieces. Ready to serve!
- Shuchi Vaishnav Gandhi is a jewellery designer, lover of crafts and a big foodie. She lives in Bangalore with her husband and drew early culinary inspiration from her father, who was a great cook and always got the best out of her. She loves to cook different cuisines and startedhttp://www.spicytangy.com in 2008 to overwhelming response. You can also mail her at shuchi@spicytangy.com