I am very excited about the post for today! Whoo Hoo! I have Chef Dennis from A Culinary Journey here and he has created a beautiful vegetarian main dish. Before I present him to you I’d like to say a few things about this wonderful man. When I first started blogging and I really can’t call it blogging, let’s just say I had a blogspot web site called Cheers To Lunch. I was putting recipes up for my daughter and posting them on my personal Facebook page and one day there was a comment, my first comment ever. It was from Chef Dennis. I had no idea what this whole foodie world was all about. I had registered on Foodbuzz but never uploaded photos or had any friends. When Chef Dennis left a comment, at first I did nothing, zip, nada. It was some time later when I created Cooking’s Good and started to have a feel for what was going on that I e-mailed him to thank him for that comment and introduce myself and he invited me to do a guest post for him. That was last year sometime. Long story short, Dennis has become a mentor for me in the foodie world. Thank you Dennis for all your encouraging words over the course of our friendship and for agreeing to guest post here today. You’ve got it all going on and you are too cool.
Did you know that Chef Dennis once played in a band? Yep, he played bass and guitar and sang back up haromonies. Those were the days. We all played in rock bands back then (me too) and then most of us grew out of it. Except for my husband, who still plays, arranges and composes music.
I am truly honored to present to you this very talented and kind-hearted man. Thank you my friend.
WELCOME CHEF DENNIS
SF Foodbuzz Festival 2010 – Courtesy Chef Dennis
To all of you that don’t know me, I’m Chef Dennis and it’s my great pleasure to be here today guest posting on Cooking’s Good Vegetarian Cafe! I don’t get to do too many guest posts because of the time constraints of my job, my blog and life in general, and things just keep getting crazier!
So when Suzi asked me about guest posting and told me the date, I was happy to hear that it was after my school year had ended, and I could say yes. It was a quite a rough year for me, but now that it’s over I can finally breathe a sigh of relief, and get to enjoying my time off!
When thinking about what to make for my guest post, I thought a dessert would be the easiest thing to make for a vegetarian blog, but I didn’t want to just make something because it was easy, or just for the sake of making something. When I have guest bloggers on my site, it’s really easy to tell when someone’s put thought and time into their post, or when they just threw something together out of obligation. That’s not good for either of you when you do that, and I wasn’t about to do that to a friend!
I had this crazy idea about making a crust out of Ritz crackers ( I do love Ritz crackers) and thought it would be the same as making a graham cracker pie crust (well, I really didn’t think it was the same, but I was hoping for the best). While the flavors and texture of my savory tart were amazing, I learned a very valuable lesson with the Ritz crackers……while everything does sit better on a Ritz, they weren’t talking about pie crusts….sigh
Now it wasn’t awful, it was just too crumbly and didn’t add to the deliciousness of my savory tart. So in hindsight, next time I make it (and I certainly will), I will make a regular pie crust for the base, perhaps making it just a tad savory as well.
I hope you enjoy it as much as Lisa and I did, and thanks once again to Suzi for allowing me to share her blog with her today!
Spinach – Tomato Tart
Ingredients:
4 cups baby spinach leaves
4 roma tomatoes – sliced ¼ inch thick
½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
½ cup 2% plain greek yogurt
1 cup heavy cream
1 large egg, and 1 large egg yolk
½ tsp sea salt
¼ tsp black pepper
1tbsp butter
1 tbsp flour
1 tbsp grated romano cheese
1 tbsp chopped basil
Crust:
2 sleeves ritz crackers
¼ lb unsalted butter
Directions:
Crust
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Pulse ritz crackers in your food processor to make fine crumbs
Melt one stick of butter and mix with ritz crackers.
Press mixture into 8-9 inch tart pan
Bake for 15 minutes at 350 degrees
Filling
Place spinach in sauté pan with heavy cream and cook over medium heat until for 2-3 minutes
Reduce heat and season with sea salt and pepper
Press one tablespoon of butter into flour making a beurre manie, add this to the spinach mixture, this will help thicken up the mixture.
As mixture thickens remove from the heat and allow it to cool for about 5 minutes.
When mixture is cool to the touch, add in egg, egg yolk and greek yogurt
Return mixture to the heat and let it gently simmer for 2 minutes
Top tart crust with spinach mixture, then gently add tomato slices on top of mixture (don’t press them down)
Place in 350 degree oven and bake for 15 minutes
Remove from oven and sprinkle grated romano cheese on top of tomatoes and return to oven, continue baking for 10 more minutes
Remove tart from oven and allow to cool.
Before serving top with chopped fresh basil
You should serve this tart warm or at room temperature.
Prep time: 10 min Cook time : 40 min Serves: 6
Thank you so much Chef, this was a real treat and your tart is a beauty. Isn’t that a beauty? I love that you included my favorite veggie - spinach.
Please stop by and see more of Chef Dennis fantastic recipes and also check out his Ask Chef Dennis pages, there is a wealth of information for food bloggers. Questions you might not know the answer to can probably be found there including helpful hints on photography and lots of social media tips. You can also attend his cooking classes at the ChefHangout.com on Google+. Check em’ out.
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Is it just me or is there 1/2 cup mozzarella listed that isn’t included in the recipe instructions.
Can anyone tell me where they added this in the recipe? I assume it goes in to the spinach mixture before baking….
What a textural marvel! This tart is visually stunning and I only wish that I could taste it to confirm its wondrous appearance.
I think tarts don’t get enough press, they’re so good. It looks wonderful with the spinach and tomato. Great guest post!
Hi Suzi!! So sorry I missed this post!! It truly is a beautiful tart!! Well done my friend. :) Hope you are doing well with all the high heat! We are broiling here in the North. :)
Is there a print button somewhere? I’m probably staring right at it, but I’ve been landing on so many food blogs that don’t offer a print button today that I’m not going to make any assumptions. So frustrating. I wanted to print this, but only the recipe… not the narrative and photos.
Crust failure or not, this looks delicious! I just made a baby fennel-tomato-goat cheese tart last Friday for a quick dinner but cheated on my crust due to time constraints. Maybe if you mixed the Ritz crackers into a regular pie crust recipe? I love the idea of it.
Suzi, this is fantastic. Spinach and tomato are as healthy as they are a beautiful flavor combination. I love the tart as a medium too. Brava!
perfect & yummy…absolutely love it
Tasty Appetite
Looking forward to seeing you make this tart again Dennis. Thank you also Suzi for inviting the godfather of foodbloggers to Cooking’s Good.
Thanks Suzi, and chef Denis! Lovely tart.
Chef, how nice to see you here!
The tomato tart looks summery and absolutely delicious.
Gorgeous tart!!
I’m really disappointed that the Ritz crust flopped because my brain was telling me that it would be really good.
I agree, I thought the Ritz crackers would be a go. They look fantastic in the photos, it’s a shame really.
that is one delicious tart! yum!
Fantastic looking tart!
That tart is a real stunner–and how fabulous to have Chef Dennis posting for you! I think he left the first comment on my blog too, and I was equally clueless.
Funny huh, look how much we have learned now. Thanks!
Suzi,
I like chef Dennis and his way of writing. It is really nice to know more about him. Thanks for putting this wonderful post.
I like this spinach tomato tart with ritz cracker crust.
Looks delicious!
Chef D is just great! Congratulations on being featured on his blog! I’ve been meaning to bake a spinach tart, I think I’ll try out your recipe tomorrow. :)
Hello, Suzi! I’m visiting from Chef Dennis’s blog, too, and it’s a pleasure to “meet” you. I also enjoyed your quote: “In the veggie world, everything is a side dish.” :) This Spinach-Tomato Tart IS a beauty!
Hi Kim, thank you so much for stopping by so glad you came from Chef Dennis site, and I am very happy to meet you. I will head over for a visit.
Oh fun, this looks amazing. Vegetable tarts are always a hit!
This look absolutely delicious!! And the story of your meeting is truly one that touches your heart and shows how welcoming this foodie world is!!
oh my goodness that looks delicious! like pizza but classier!
Oh, boy … this is right up my alley and I’ll have to try it :-)
This looks so good! I’ve never been to either of your blogs but I follow Chef Dennis on Pinterest and saw this there. I want to try making it with a hashbrown crust. Thanks for posting, I’ll be sure to check in again :)
You know – I’ve heard of Chef Dennis, but I don’t think I’ve been to his blog. Well, that has to change! What a delicious looking tomato tart! It doesn’t look at all runny like some tomato tarts I’ve seen. Love the filling and then the tomato topping! Great post you two!
Hi MJ. Yes, this tart does look fantastic. Go check out Chef Dennis, he is a very sweet man and he has lots of goodies on his site. too.
I am glad I found your site through Chef Dennis. This tart was a great post. It will take some convincing to get my husband to eat this as the full meal but I know it will be worth the effort for me.
Hi Emily, thank you for stopping by and I am glad you found my site through Chef Dennis, he is cool and that tart looks lovely. I hope you can get your husband to eat it, if you make it add a big salad, LOL.
Chef Dennis is great! And this tart looks so delicious. some of my favorite veggie flavors all in one cute dish.
It’s fabulous to see and learn about Chef Dennis – what an inspiration :D
Delicious recipe my friend!
Cheers
CCU
Thanks, head over to Chef Dennis site, he has lots of goodies over there, you will love it. Take care.
Yeah, I have also checked some of Chef Dennis’s Post and they do are inspirational. This is a beautiful summer tart with fresh flavors.
I never knew that about Chef! That is so cool! He is such an inspiration to the blogging community. Just love him…and man does that tart look good!
Thanks Raven and yeah, Chef Dennis really is an inspiration and he makes a good looking tart too.
Hi, Suzi,
I was just searching for a new tomato tart recipe and here you have Chef Dennis guest posting with one! Such luck…it truly looks amazing! Thanks to you, both…love the story of how you two first connected :)
Oh my!!! Oh my, oh my, oh my!
What a fabulous guest post! There is NOTHING in this world that I love more than tomatoes, and I want to sink my teeth into that tart, right now! Okay, 5 minutes ago.
WOW!
Wow, that is a great looking tart!
hi Suzi
thanks so much for sharing your blog with me today, and for all the kind words.
It has been my pleasure getting to know you, and I look forward to meeting you in person when we finally get down to Florida!
Cheers
Dennis
Thank you so much. I am honored to have you here and looking forward to meeting you as well.