Salade Niçoise Tart

“There are many versions of this online and it is such a good idea, I wish I’d thought of it myself. If you want to save time, buy Paneton savoury pastry. If you want to save more time, buy a jar of caramelised onions. This tart is very pretty with its halo of quartered hard-boiled eggs on top. It takes you straight to Nice in five minutes flat.” — Peta Mathias

Serves 6

2 large onions, thinly sliced

1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

200g good-quality tinned tuna (I like Ortiz)

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 red capsicum, thinly sliced

12 cherry tomatoes, halved

8 good-quality anchovies (I like Ortiz)

2 tbsp capers

10 black olives

3 hard-boiled eggs, quartered

Pate brisée (short pastry)

250g flour

1 egg yolk

1/4 tsp salt

125g room-temperature

butter, cubed

1 tbsp cold water

Make the pastry first. Pile the flour on the bench or a marble slab and make a well in the centre. Into this place the remaining ingredients. Using your fingertips, gradually work the flour into the centre. Work quickly and methodically till all the flour is incorporated. Add more water if necessary and form into a softish ball, the consistency of play dough. 

Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 190°C. Grease and flour a 24cm round tart tin with removable base.

Heat the olive oil over medium heat and sweat the onions till light golden, about 15 minutes.

Roll the pastry out and place in the prepared tart tin. Prick base with a fork.

Scatter the cooled onion all over, then the tuna. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Arrange the sliced capsicum on top, then the tomatoes, anchovies, capers and olives. Drizzle with a little oil from the tuna tin.

Lightly cover with tin foil and bake for 25 minutes.

Serve with quartered eggs on top.

Images and text extracted from Recipes from the Supper Club by Peta Mathias, published by Peta Mathias Publishing, RRP $59.00.

📷 Photography by Ken Downie.