A beauty—mild, soothing, and delicious. Be sure to use waxy (“new”) potatoes, which will not fall apart. As with the other tarts in this chapter, this is best warm or at room temperature and may be prepared without any crust at all. If you’re using a crust, the recipe will take less time if you have a premade crust.

　　

Ingredients

makes at least 4 servings

　　1 Pastry for Savory Tarts (page 458)

　　4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter or extra virgin olive oil, plus a little more for the tart

　　1 large onion, sliced

　　Salt and black pepper to taste

　　1 pound waxy potatoes, red or white, peeled and diced

　　2 cups chopped seeded tomatoes (canned are fine)

　　1/2 cup pitted black olives, like Kalamatas, roughly chopped

　　Pinch of cayenne

　　1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves

　　4 eggs

　　1/2 cup cream, half-and-half, or milk

　　1 cup grated Gruyère, Cantal, Cheddar, or other firm but not dry cheese

　　1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

　　

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Tear off a piece of foil twice as large as the crust. Fold it in half and smear it with butter or oil; lay the greased side on the crust. Weight the foil with a pile of dried beans or rice (these can be reused for this same purpose), pie weights, or a tight-fitting skillet or saucepan—anything that will sit flat on the surface. Bake for 12 minutes, then remove the foil and continue to bake at 350°F until the crust is a beautiful shade of brown, just a few minutes more. Remove and let cool on a rack while you prepare the filling.

　　

Step 2

Meanwhile, put the 4 tablespoons butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Two minutes later, add the onion, along with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion begins to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the potatoes and continue to cook, stirring, until the potatoes look glossy, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, olives, and cayenne, stir, and bring the mixture to a boil. Adjust the heat so the mixture simmers and cook, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are soft and the mixture thick, about 15 minutes. If a great deal of liquid remains, raise the heat until most of it is gone. Taste and adjust the seasoning; cool slightly.

　　

Step 3

Combine the potato mixture with the remaining ingredients and pile into the prebaked shell. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until almost firm and lightly browned on top; reduce the oven heat if the shell’s edges are darkening too quickly. Cool for at least 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

　　The Best Recipes in the World by Mark Bittman. © 2005 by Mark Bittman. Published by Broadway Books. All Rights Reserved.MARK BITTMAN is the author of the blockbuster The Best Recipes in the World (Broadway, 2005) and the classic bestseller How to Cook Everything, which has sold more than one million copies. He is also the coauthor, with Jean-Georges Vongerichten, of Simple to Spectacular and Jean-Georges: Cooking at Home with a Four-Star Chef. Mr. Bittman is a prolific writer, makes frequent appearances on radio and television, and is the host of The Best Recipes in the World, a 13-part series on public television. He lives in New York and Connecticut.