“The day is coming when a single carrot, freshly observed, will set off a revolution.”
– Paul Cezanne.

I love vegetables. I mean, really, really, really love them. So when I saw this rainbow rose vegetable tart on Food.com, it was so pretty I wanted to try it. Then I saw that some enterprising bakers were making spirals instead of roses and I was sold. Yes, there’s a lot of knife work if you don’t have a mandolin but the end result is so worth it! It’s a work of art AND it tastes wonderful.

I’m especially partial to the pop of purple in this veggie pie and it turns out purple carrots are packed with nutrition and anti-oxidants – even more than their orange sisters. It’s true! You can read all about it in this Popular Science article.

Tips and Substitutions

If you don’t have the time or aren’t inclined to make a pie crust like this one, frozen puff pastry works great.
Use a light hand with the honey.
Brushing the veggies with olive oil adds a lot of flavor.
You can substitute oregano for the thyme, or use chives, or any other fresh herb of your choice, really.
A friend of mine adds chopped spinach to the ricotta base. I haven’t tried that yet but I’m gonna.

Reality Bakes

I found the zucchini so much taller than my carrots that I started slicing them in half lengthwise. Of course, this brilliant idea didn’t occur to me until I was wrapping the last layers. Sigh.

If you’re looking for another savory tart full of veggie goodness, try this spring vegetables galette or this tomato zucchini one.

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Spiral Veggie Tart

Is it a delicious veggie tart or a work of art? Both! Thin slices of gorgeous heirloom carrots and zucchini pair up to make this spiral tart on a creamy ricotta and mozzarella base.

Prep Time 45

Cook Time 50

Servings 10

Author Jen Leigh, adapted from Food.com

Ingredients

1 9-inch pie crust or frozen puff pastry*
2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
Drizzle of honey
15 oz ricotta cheese
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 egg
1 tbsp fresh thyme
Zest of one lemon
Pinch of grated nutmeg
Pinch of kosher salt
Pinch of freshly ground black pepper
6 multi-colored carrots, sliced lengthwise in thin even strips with a peeler, mandolin or sharp knife
2 zucchini, sliced lengthwise in thin even strips with a peeler, mandolin or sharp knife
1/4 cup olive oil

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Blind bake your pie crust or puff pastry shell by lining it with foil or parchment. Fill with beans, rice, or baking beads and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until bottom crust is no longer sticky. Remove lining and weights and set aside to cool.
In a bowl, mix the ricotta, egg, lemon zest, grated nutmeg and generous pinches of salt and pepper until creamy. Add the mozzarella and thyme and mix to incorporate.
Sprinkle the grated Parmesan cheese on the bottom of the pie or puff pastry shell. Drizzle very lightly with honey. Spread the ricotta mixture evenly on top.
Spread the vegetable slices on a plate and cook in the microwave for 1 to 2 minutes to soften them.
Take a smaller slice of vegetable and brush it lightly with olive oil. Roll it up tightly and place it in the center of the tart, pushing it down into the cheese mixture. Brush another slice with olive oil and wrap it tightly around the first. Keep wrapping slices around what you’ve rolled before, alternating colors to your liking.
Layer slices to the edge of the crust and brush the remaining olive oil on top. Bake at 350°F for 45 to 50 minutes, or until crust is golden brown and vegetables are crisp yet tender.