Vegetable Tart

Ingredients:

Tart Shell:

• 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
• 2 tbsp. chopped fresh herbs such as chives, parsley, thyme
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 10 tbsp. ice water

Filling:

• 2 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 large shallots, chopped
• 1 1/2 cups thinly sliced mushroom caps
• 1/2 lb. asparagus, cut into1-inch pieces
• 1 (10 oz.) frozen spinach thawed and squeezed of excess liquid
• 1/2 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
• 3 large eggs
• salt 
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup shredded reduced-fat Swiss cheese 

Makes 8 Servings

1. Heat the oven to 325 F. Coat a 9-inch tart pan with cooking spray. 
2. For the tart shell: In a large bowl, stir together the flour, herbs and salt. Blend in the oil with your fingers. Add the water, a couple of  tablespoons at a time, blending until a ball forms. Knead a few times until smooth. Pat into a disk, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for 15 minutes. 
3. Meanwhile, to  make the filling: In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the shallots and cook for 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook for 3 minutes. Add the asparagus and cook for 3 minutes. Stir in the spinach. 
4.  Roll the dough out to a 12-inch circle. Press into the tart pan, tucking the edges under. Prick the dough with a fork several times. Bake for 10 minutes, or until the crust looks dry. Let cool briefly. Increase the oven temperature to 350 F. 
5. In a large bowl, stir together the ricotta, eggs, vegetable mixture, salt, and pepper to taste. Spread in the tar shell. Top with the Swiss cheese. Bake for 50-55 minutes, until lightly browned. Serve warmed or at room at temperature. 

WW POINTS VALUE: 5 pts. 

Note: This recipe appears in the South Beach Diet Super Quick Cookbook. This tart is a delicious treat. This tart is both filling and flavorful with the herbed crust, vegetables, eggs and cheeses. If you don't have ricotta cheese on hand, use cottage cheese and the tart will be just as delicious. Italian cheeses such as mozzarella, provolone and Parmesan cheese work just as well as Swiss cheese. Kale and arugula work just as well as spinach in this recipe too. This recipe will be a new comfort food for both meat lovers and vegetarians.