April 2020 Honorable Mention - Sun Dried Tomato & Spinach Soufflé Tart

Belli amici! Cooks and chefs! Food lovers!

Here comes more springtime fun! Divertimento della primavera! 

 This recipe is truly a winner. Flavor, texture, visual, professional technique and originality. In fact, I’ve come up for a new name for it…it’s a spinach and sun dried tomato ROUXFFLE! The ingredients for a soufflé go into a roux, it puffs up in the oven and comes out beautiful.

So congratulations chef Lisa Keys for this creative deliciousness! You’ll be receiving a deluxe Bella Sun Luci gift box full of products to play with for submitting your next recipe to our contest. And if that recipe is anything like this one, my guess is that you WILL make it onto the podium and into the money.

Now, everybody, get cooking, please send in your recipes, buon appetito...and until we meet again…Buona fantastica bella bellissima primavera...e arrivederci! Di cuore…see you soon, from my heart,

Chef Richie

INGREDIENTS

Crust

• Pastry dough for single-crust pie 

Filling

• 2 tablespoons Bella Sun Luci California Estate Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 3 cups chopped frozen spinach, thawed, squeezed dry
• 1 cup fresh white bread crumbs
• ¼ cup thinly sliced green onions
• 1/3 cup Bella Sun Luci Julienne Cut Sun Dried Tomatoes in Olive Oil with Italian Herbs, chopped
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons garlic-herb cheese

Soufflé Topping

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 ¼ cups milk
• 1 cup shredded smoked mozzarella
• 1 egg, separated
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat a baking sheet in the oven set for 375F.
2. Roll the pastry dough on a lightly floured surface and fit into a 9 to 10-inch tart pan with removable bottom; trim edge.
3. To make the filling, heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat.
4. Add the spinach and cook, stirring, until the spinach is warmed through.
5. Remove from heat. Stir in the bread crumbs, green onions, sun-dried tomatoes, salt and pepper.
6. Spread garlic-herb cheese evenly over bottom of crust.
7. Spoon filling into crust smoothing the top.
8. To make soufflé topping, melt butter in saucepan, over medium heat.
9. Whisk in the flour; cook for 2 minutes. Whisk in the milk and bring to a boil; cook whisking for 2 minutes or until thickened.
10. Remove pan from heat and stir in the cheese and egg yolk.
11. Season with salt and pepper. Beat egg white to soft peaks; fold into cheese mixture.
12. Pour cheese topping evenly over tart.
13. Bake 40 to 45 minutes or until set and golden brown.

Makes 8 servings.