~ ratatouille tart ~

i always try to cook seasonally.. and it being the midst of fall... there is an abundance of squash left over from the season's garden.. when you go to the farmers market.. you will see the summer squash getting pushed out (like the yellow squash... zucchini... pattypan squash) ...as the winter squash coming into season (like the butternut squash.. acorn squash.. spaghetti squash)... 

one way i've discovered cooking with these vegetables easily is to make a ratatouille tart.. this can be altered as the vegetables change with the season..

one essential ingredient that i love to use is the puff pastry.. available in the freezer section where the frozen fruit and frozen pie crusts are..they are great for making savory and sweet treats including...

savory delights:
* ratatouille tart
* chicken pot pie
* beef wellington
* fancy pigs in a blanket

sweet delectables:
* apple tart
* berry napoleans
* sweet pinwheels
* fruit cups

with all these options with 1 ingredient...its crazy that not everyone has these available in their freezer!

recipe (yield 6 - 8 servings)

ingredients:
* whatever vegetables you have on hand .. sliced thin... i've used a zucchini.. tomato... bell pepper
* 3 onions.. sliced
* 1 puff pastry sheet
* 2 tablespoons of balsalmic vinegar
* oil
* 2 tablespoon of italian seasoning
* 1 teaspoon each of salt & pepper
* flour for dusting

hardware:
* mandoline .. optional
* baking sheet
* aluminum foil.. optional.. but allows for easy cleanup later.. highly recommended :)
* nonstick pan
* rolling pin
* fork

steps:
pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees

1) defrost the puff pastry
        > take out 1 sheet of the puff pastry and let it defrost either in the fridge or on the counter top .. make sure that it does not defrost to the point it is room temperature.. making it hard to work with

2) onion jam
        > heat up the nonstick pan with a tablespoon of oil on medium heat
        > dump in the sliced onions and cook until caramelized.. about 20 minutes
        > once the onions are cooked down and the color resembles caramel.. add in the 2 tablespoons of balsalmic vinegar
        > cook for 5-8 mins to allow the vinegar to reduce
        > let cool on the counter

3) prep the veg
        > slice the vegetables so they are all the same thickness.. this allows for even cooking 
           note: a mandoline is not necessary.. as i dont own one.. i just used my good ole knife to do the job

4) prep the cooking vessel
        > put a sheet of aluminum foil down on the baking sheet.. again.. optional.. but highly recommended
        > brush the aluminum foil with some oil so the puff pastry doesn't stick to it while cooking

5) putting it all together
        > unfold the puff pastry
        > dust the working surface with some flour
        > dust the rolling pin and roll out the puff pastry so there are no creases
        > place onto the prepared baking sheet
        > using the fork make a perimeter leaving about an inch around the edge and "dock the dough".. meaning.. putting some holes in the dough so it doesn't rise.. the 1 inch perimeter however will rise and look like a tart
        > place the cooled onion jam evenly throughout the dough where it is docked
        > place the sliced veggies atop the onion jam.. you can dumb them on ..or arrange it like i did .. makes it look prettier

        > drizzle on oil onto of the veggies
        > season the veggies with the 2 tablespoons of italian seasoning, salt and pepper

6) bake
        > bake the tart in a 350 degree pre-heated oven for 30-40 mins or until the crust is golden brown and delicious

7) now serve and devour! 

~ onion pancake ~

one of my ultimate favorite taiwanese snacks are these little delicate, flakey, and savory onion pancake.. i guess you can say the onion pancake is the tortilla in mexican food or the naan in indian food.. just like naan.. you can eat it by itself or like the tortilla .. use it as a wrapper for filling inside (like pork puff... scrambled eggs) .. i usually like them just by itself... no condiments needed (disclaimer.. if it is made properly.. else.. definitely need some soy sauce for dip-age)...

however.. whenever i get it from a food cart in taiwan.. or a restaurant... or those frozen packages you find in your local asian markets.. i always find a problem with them... there's not enough green onion in it!! why call it an onion pancake when you can't even taste the green onion?

solution to this problem?? i'll just make it myself! i get to control the amount of salt... the amount of green onion .. as well as oil that goes into the dough.. also.. no preservatives! ... and the result?? well take a look!

you may think it is really hard to make this.. however.. i have come to find that it is really easy and a lot more cost efficient as these are all ingredients that i have on hand at all times.. secondly.. each of those frozen packages are around $5 for 4 pieces.. while mine are about $3 for around 8 pancakes! winning!

recipe (yields ~8 pancakes.. depending on how big or small you want them)

ingredients:
* 3 cups of all purpose flour .. and some for dusting
* 1 cup of boiling water
* 1/4 - 1/3 cup of cold water
* 6 green onions.. chopped
* salt .. quite a lot so keep it near your working area
* oil.. i like to use grapeseed oil

hardware:
* plastic wrap
* rolling pin


steps:
1) prep the green onions ... this step is critical to allow the green onions to excrete the water content in them
        > chop the green onions
        > add in 1 tablespoon of salt
        > mix to combine and set aside

2) making the dough
        > place the 3 cups of flour in a large mixing bowl
        > while stirring the flour.. stir in 1 cup of boiling water
                 fun fact: this is the process called "burning the flour" (direct translation).. what this does is activating the gluten in the flour so the dough becomes chewy and "bouncy"
        > combine as much of the flour with the boiled water
        > now with the cold water.. add 1/8 cup .. and adjust
        > you will want to kneed as much of the dough in the boil until the flour comes together.. it may need a bit more water so add as needed until it comes together.. the dough will be sticky
        > take the dough out of the bowl and kneed on a floured working space until the dough comes together .. kneed with the heel of your hands.. keeping in mind not to tear the dough
        > you will know it is incorporated appropriately when there are no more specs of flour and the dough does not stick to your hands anymore

        > place the dough in a bowl to rest for a minimum of 30 mins.. VERY IMPORTANT.. this allows for the dough to rest and the gluten to develop even more

3) dividing the dough
        > take the rested dough out of the bowl.. make sure not to kneed or else you will need to let it rest again
        > divide the dough into about 8 pieces.. depending on how big you want the pancakes.. you can divide the dough into more or less pieces.. 8 pieces will yield 6" diameter pancakes

4) now it is time to roll

        > flour your rolling pin so the dough doesn't stick to it

        > slightly flour the dough piece on the top and bottom.. just to avoid it getting stuck on the working surface

        > roll out the dough so it is paper thin .. or as thin as you can get it.. the thinner you can roll the dough.. the more layers you will get in the pancake

        > its ok if you make holes.. it is easy to repair.. just pinch them together

5) the add-ins

        > take some oil and oil the dough... about 1 teaspoon

        > sprinkle salt over the dough.. about 1/2 teasppon.. there is already salt in the green onions so you dont want to over salt

        > sprinkle in green onions.. don't over do this because the dough will fall apart from the excess moisture in the green onions  .. make sure not leave a bit of a border so the green onion doesn't fall out in the next step

6) roll into a log

        > take the edge closest to you and roll the dough up into a log

        > make sure to slightly tug on the dough as you roll up

7) roll into a cinnamon roll

        > now roll the log into a circle.. like a cinnamon roll

        > with the tail end.. tuck it under neath and through the center.. if possible.. so the dough doesn't unravel when you roll it out again in step 8

        > as you can see.. depending on the size of the dough pieces in step 3.. you will yield different size pancakes..

8) rolling into pancakes

        > last step is to roll these out again.. creating the layers we desire

        > you can have thinner or thicker pancakes.. the thinner they are.. the faster they will cook

        > at this step.. you can either cook them right away.. (see below for cooking instructions).. or freeze them.. if freezing them.. make sure each pancake is wrapped up in saran wrap and stacked atop each other.. by saran wrapping individually.. separating them later will be easier

cooking instructions:

1) heat a non-stick pan over medium high heat with 1 tablespoon of oil

2) when the oil is hot.. put in the pancake... let sit for 15 seconds.. then flip.. this steps allow for the other side to get a coating of oil..

3) cook each side for about 2 minutes.. or until golden brown and fully cooked through... the thinner your pancakes.. the faster they will cook

enjoy!