Filo Pastry, Haloumi and Spring Vegetable Tarts

, from Issue #62. October, 2015
Photography by Manja Wachsmuth.
Filo Pastry, Haloumi and Spring Vegetable Tarts

These can be made as six individual tarts, but I love the look of a whole tray. You can use other vegetables and also top each one with a stem-on cherry tomato before cooking.

INGREDIENTS

150 grams cream cheese, at room temperature
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 cloves garlic, crushed
250 grams cottage cheese or ricotta cheese
2 x #7 eggs (large)
3 tablespoons purchased basil pesto
3 medium zucchini, thinly sliced
6 spears asparagus, sliced on the diagonal 
80 grams haloumi cheese
sea salt and ground pepper
6 sheets filo pastry
olive oil spray 

28cm x 18cm metal baking dish, greased and lined fully with baking paper

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 160°C fan bake.

Beat the cream cheese, cumin and garlic until light and airy. Season with salt and pepper then beat in the cottage cheese, eggs and pesto. The mixture will not be smooth.

Spray one sheet of filo with oil then place another sheet on top. Repeat spraying and layering with the remaining 4 sheets. Cut into 6 even rectangles. Fold in a 2cm border around each rectangle then place in the tin, unfolding the sides and nestling them into the tin, side by side. Spoon the cheese mixture into the tarts.

Top with the zucchini and asparagus then grate the haloumi over the top of each one, along with a grind of pepper.

Bake for 25-30 minutes until the pastry is golden and the filling is set. Serve hot or warm. Makes 6 tarts