ALFRESCO FEAST
ARTICHOKE AND SALTED RICOTTA TART WITH SALSA VERDE
Serves 6-8
185g (½ sheet) Carême or other all-butter puff pastry
400g fresh ricotta
150g goats curd
6 large green olives, pitted and coarsely chopped
Braised artichokes
4 globe artichokes
1 lemon, halved, plus 4 peeled strips of lemon rind
250ml dry white wine
250ml (1 cup) extra-virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove, bruised
4 thyme sprigs
Salsa verde
¾ cup (loosely packed) flat-leaf parsley
2 small garlic cloves, crushed
1 tbsp capers in salt, rinsed
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
80 ml (⅓ cup) extra virgin olive oil
1. Place2. For braised artichokes, trim artichoke stalks to 2cm and remove outer leaves. Trim the outside of stalks with a small knife, then trim 2cm from the top of each artichoke and halve lengthways. Scoop out fibrous chokes with a teaspoon, then immediately rub cut surfaces with lemon. Transfer to a large, wide saucepan over medium heat. Add wine, oil, garlic, thyme and lemon rind. Bring to a simmer and cook until artichokes are tender (35-40 minutes). Leave to cool.3. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 180°C. Blind-bake pastry until crisp (20-25 minutes), then remove weights and paper, carefully turn the pastry over, add paper and weights once more and bake until other side is crisp and golden (20-25 minutes).4. Meanwhile, beat ricotta, goats curd and 2 teaspoons sea salt flakes in a small bowl until smooth consistency.5. For salsa verde, blend ingredients with a hand-held blender until finely chopped, adding extra oil if necessary.6. Spread ricotta mixture over pastry and top with prepared artichokes, olives and salsa verde. Serve with focaccia bread and salume, if desired.
