A Lovely Little "Tarte"

I have never been a brunch kind of person.  I love breakfast, but brunch has always seemed a little too precious to me.  I like a  hearty stack of pancakes, or the classic American breakfast of scrambled eggs, bacon, potatoes, and toast.  I'm not a big lover of delicate little crepes or fancy egg dishes.  I'm a basic breakfast gal.

But it was Mother's Day on Sunday and being both the mother and cook meant that I was in charge of breakfast.  Now that might sound wrong to you but I was okay with it.  At least I knew that (1) I would get what I wanted for breakfast, and (2) that it would taste good.

I was originally planning to make pancakes but then I saw this Giada DeLaurentiis recipe for a breakfast tart with pancetta, and green onions.  It sounded surprisingly appealing (given my general dislike of fancy eggs) and somewhat more festive than pancakes -- at least any pancakes I was going to make.

It was also surprisingly easy to make.  I didn't even have to make the pastry for the crust, which on Mother's Day was a gift in and of itself.  (After all, wasn't Mother's Day supposed to be a day of rest for me?)  The filling was a really rich concoction that included gruyere cheese and mascarpone cheese, a staple in at least half of Giada's recipes.

I whipped the tart up in just minutes and slid it into the oven for about 20 minutes.  What emerged with a beautiful puffy tart, perfect for breakfast, or brunch if you're feeling fancy.

Recipe:  Breakfast Tart with Pancetta and Green Onions
(Weeknights with Giada, 2012)

Note:  You could substitute in all kinds of other ingredients.  Mushrooms, bacon, and cheddar cheese would also make a delicious tart.


Ingredients:


1 unroll-and-bake refrigerated 9-inch pie crust (recommended: Pillsbury)
1 egg white, lightly beaten
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
3 ounces pancetta, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
5 eggs, at room temperature, lightly beaten
1/2 cup (4 ounces) mascarpone cheese, at room temperature
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded Gruyere
3 green onions, thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions:


Special equipment: 9-inch tart pan with removable base

Put an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Butter and flour the bottom and sides of a 9-inch tart pan.

Unroll the pie crust and arrange it in the prepared pan. Gently press the crust into the bottom and sides of the pan. Trim any excess crust from the top of the pan. With the tines of a fork, prick the pastry in several places. Using a pastry brush, coat the crust with the beaten egg white. Put the pan on a baking sheet and bake until the egg white has set, about 10 minutes. Allow the crust to cool for 10 minutes.

In a medium skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the pancetta and cook, stirring frequently, until brown and crispy, about 6 to 8 minutes. Drain on a paper towel lined plate.

In a medium bowl, combine the beaten eggs, mascarpone cheese, Gruyere, green onions, salt, pepper, and pancetta. Mix until smooth. Pour the mixture into the cooled crust and bake until the mixture has set and the top is golden, about 18 minutes Cool the tart for 10 to 15 minutes then remove it from the pan to a serving platter.

Cut the tart into wedges and serve warm or at room temperature.