Veggie rose tart

Method
Prep:30min  ›  Cook:1hr  ›  Ready in:1hr30min 

1. Preheat the oven to 180 C / Gas 4.
2. Line a 23cm tart tin with the sheet of puff pastry, pressing gently into the base and sides, trimming away any excess. Line with baking parchment then fill with dried beans or lentils to bake blind (this is done so the pastry case does not swell or bubble up whilst baking).
3. Bake in the preheated oven for about 15 minutes until the pastry is starting to blush golden brown. Remove the beans and baking parchment and discard (you can save and reuse the beans for future blind baking). Set the pastry case aside.
4. Increase the oven temperature to 200 C / Gas 6.
5. Meanwhile, in a bowl mix together the egg, ricotta, mozzarella and Parmesan well and season with nutmeg, thyme and salt. Spoon the filling into the pastry case and using a spoon even it out and smooth the top.
6. Slice the carrots and courgette wafer-thin with a mandoline or a vegetable peeler lengthways into long strips. Microwave the strips for about 1 to 2 minutes, just until they soften enough so that you can roll them up.
7. Roll up each vegetable strip tightly into a rose shape (you will need about 2 strips for each rose).
8. Place the vegetable roses into the filling in a decorative pattern, alternating the colours. Brush the vegetable roses with oil.
9. Bake in the preheated oven at 200 C / Gas 6 for about 40 minutes until the filling is firm, vegetables are tender and the pastry is golden brown. Remove from the oven and serve warm, or allow to cool before slicing and serving.