Red Pepper Tart with Tomato and Camembert (gluten free)

You’ll LOVE my Roasted Red Pepper Tart with Tomato and Camembert made with a gluten free Almond Pastry. The perfect savoury Red Tart, it’s intense with flavour, nutritious and an ideal ‘make ahead’ midweek meal. Optional dairy free.  

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Originally posted 11^th June 2014. Updated 13^th September 2022

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Roasted Red Pepper Tart with Tomato – a very Red Tart

Meet my Roasted Red Pepper Tart with Tomato and Camembert… It’s fresh and delicious, packed with goodness and vibrantly red! Originally developed back in 2014, it was specifically created as a themed Red Tart. But while there are loads of options for a sweet red dessert tart, I wanted something savoury… that wasn’t a bog-standard Tomato Tart.

A trip to the farm shop and a stash of beautiful, shiny, bright red, pointy Ramiro Peppers later, and the inspiration was alive. Add some super-sweet red cherry tomatoes, red onion and a contrasting cheese and my Roasted Red Pepper Tart was born. Now a regular feature on the menu at GFHQ, it’s the perfect light savoury flan.

What’s in this gluten free Red Tart?

There are actually very few ingredients needed to make a Savoury Red Tart…

• Pastry for the tart case (made from scratch or not… See below)
• Red Peppers – Best with super-sweet Pointy Red Peppers (widely available in good supermarkets). Although the tart will be fine if you can only find standard red bell peppers.
• Cherry Tomatoes – which come in several varieties. Any will be good. (I used the ‘Sugarbelle’ variety).
• Red Onion
• Garlic
• Cheddar Cheese (just a little to sprinkle on the pastry base)
• Camembert – A French soft, ripened cheese with edible rind that melts divinely. (The cheeses can be varied – See below).
• Olive oil to roast the vegetables
• Seasoning – Salt and Pepper and (optional) fresh-chopped parsley

What is the best pastry for making Red Pepper Tart?

The pastry used is pretty flexible. Obviously, if you have dietary needs, you’ll need a pastry that fits. But otherwise, the choices are broad… be it standard wheat pastry or gluten free. I have only tried making Red Pepper Tart with shortcrust pastry… However, it will no doubt work with a switch of flaky or puff pastry too.

I used a homemade gluten free Shortcrust Pastry, which was then blind-baked before filling. Specifically, I made gluten free almond pastry (the recipe is shared on the Recipe Card at the bottom of this post). However, if you are unable to eat almonds, my Basic Gluten Free Shortcrust Pastry Recipe is equally ideal for the job. And if you are new to gluten free pastry making, you’ll also find lots of tips in that post to get you started (which are equally relevant to the recipe shared here as well).

If you prefer not to make pastry from scratch, there are a few ready-made frozen and chilled options or ‘mixes’ now available in supermarkets. So pick your favourite and you’re good to go.

Gluten Free Pastry = Gluten Free Red Pepper tart

The great news is that the pastry is the ONLY element of the recipe that needs to be specifically gluten free. All the other ingredients are already safe for people with Coeliac Disease (Celiac Disease).

Why roasted vegetables are best when making my savoury Red Tart

You may be wondering whether it is absolutely necessary to roast the vegetables before they get made into a tart. Well… There are a couple of really important reasons for doing so. And I wouldn’t advise shortcutting this part of the process (unless you like soggy bottom).

So… Why roast the veg?

1. The process of roasting ensures that any excess liquid (that might otherwise seep into and ‘wet’ the pastry) is removed through evaporation…  
2. As a result of reducing the liquid, the flavour of each and every pepper, tomato, strip of onion and chunk of garlic is intensified… So that the Red Pepper Tart is super yummy.

Alternatives to Camembert in Red Pepper Tart

Although the recipe shared is topped with deliciously-gooey chunks of melty Camembert cheese, I have (over the years) made it with any number of different cheeses. Pretty much anything goes… Personally, I prefer cheese which is a little soft, strong and melts into sticky puddles. It just pairs the best with the roasted veg.

My favourite cheeses on Red Pepper Tart are:

• Camembert (French)
• Brie (of any ‘nationality’)
• Soft and rinded Goat Cheese
• Cambozola (a soft, lightly veined blue cheese)
• Stilton (richly-veined ‘musty’ blue cheese)
• Crumbled Feta (which gives an alternative tang to the tart)

Depending on where you are in the world, there will be local equivalents for texture, meltiness and flavour… If unsure, I found this amazing Guide to Soft Cheeses, which may help.

Can I make Red Pepper and Tomato Tart dairy free and Vegan (as well as gluten free)?

Yes. Other than the cheeses, the rest of the filling for Red Pepper and Tomato Tart is completely plant-based. Thus with a simple switch to an alternative favourite Vegan cheese, the filling is safe.

Or… Leave the cheese out altogether! The roasted veg is packed with flavour and is honestly delicious on its own… Cheese or no cheese!

Once the filling is ‘veganised’, just make sure you use a recipe for vegan pastry (whether gluten free or not). I’m sure you’ll have your favourites (and I promise that one day, I’ll add one to the blog…). If you are gluten and dairy free (but still eat egg), then use the recipe I have shared at the bottom for gluten free almond pastry. Simply switch the butter for a good dairy free alternative (such as Stork Baking Block or Flora Baking Block). And use a vegan ‘shortening’ such as Trex.

Make ahead for a speedy meal…

Although making Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato Tart may sound like a ‘lengthy’ process for a mid-week or speedy meal, its beauty is that each part can be made ahead of time. And that means that when you are ready to eat it, it will take less than half an hour to have on the table! To get ahead…

1. Roast the peppers, tomatoes and other vegetables up to 3 days in advance. Store in the fridge in an airtight container.
2. Make and blind-bake the pastry cases (see tips included in my Gluten Free Shortcrust Pastry post). This can be done up to a week in advance. Then store at room temperature in an airtight container.  
3. When ready to put the two together to make the perfect Red Tart… Fill the pastry cases with the veg and cheeses and pop in a hot oven for 15 minutes. Done!

How to serve Red Pepper Tart with Tomato

Red Pepper Tart is delicious hot, but also cold. And that makes it a versatile dish for many occasions:

• Lunch or dinner
• At a party or Gluten Free Picnic
• In the lunch box
• Make mini versions as canapés or serve as a starter at a dinner party

Although the tart is pretty much a meal in itself, it can be made more substantial served with a side of:

• Baby boiled new potatoes
• Roasted baby Hasselback Potatoes (check out my post ‘How to Make Hasselback Potatoes to Perfection’ for the full low-down)
• Some fresh green peppery rocket (arugula) or a simple side salad

Other divine gluten free tarts you’ll love…

• Goat Cheese Quiche with Caramelised Onion
• Homity Pie
• Leftovers Quiche
• Mini Quiches (various)
• Spinach Tart (Spanakopita)
• Gruyère Quiche
• Pizza Galette
• Quiche Lorraine

Ready to make gluten free Roasted Red Pepper Tart?

And that’s all there is to it. The recipe for Roasted Red Pepper Tart with Tomato (and a Gluten Free Almond Pastry) is at the bottom of the post (just scroll an inch or two further).

If you have any questions, feel free to contact me and I’ll do my best to help. You can do this by leaving a comment below, by email or via social media. You can find me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter.

If you do make this most ‘red’ of tarts, let me know. And if you manage to share on social media before it’s devoured, remember to tag me in (#glutenfreealchemist @glutenfreealchemist).

For all our other recipes, head over to our MASSIVE Gluten Free Recipe Index. It has hundreds of recipes available for FREE. And is my gift to the gluten free community.

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Red Pepper and Tomato Tart

You’ll LOVE my Roasted Red Pepper Tart with Tomato and Camembert made with a gluten free Almond Pastry. The perfect savoury Red Tart, it’s intense with flavour, nutritious and an ideal ‘make ahead’ midweek meal.

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Prep Time40 minutes mins

Cook Time1 hour hr 15 minutes mins

Total Time1 hour hr 55 minutes mins

Course: Ingredients

Cuisine: All, Gluten Free

Keyword: pastry, pepper, pie, rice-free, tart, tomatoes

Servings: 5

Calories per serving: 628.7kcal

Author: Gluten Free Alchemist – Kate Dowse

Key equipment

• Kitchen scales
• measuring spoons
• Mixing bowls
• fork
• flat table knife
• non-stick loose-bottomed tart tin(s) Either 4 to 5 individual 10 cm/4 inch tart tins OR one 9 to 10 inch tin.
• Rolling Pin
• baking paper
• baking beans
• Oven
• sharp vegetable knife
• roasting tins

Ingredients 

0.33x0.5x0.66x1x1.5x2x

MetricUS Customary

Pastry Cases

• 170 g Gluten Free Flour blend I use GFA Rice Free Blend B – See NOTES (or alternative flour blend of choice)
• 50 g ground almonds (almond meal)
• 1 tsp xanthan gum
• ½ tsp fine sea salt
• 55 g unsalted butter (or dairy free alternative) cold and very small-cubed
• 55 g lard or vegetable shortening (eg Trex) cold and very small-cubed
• 1 large egg UK large (Canadian ‘Extra Large’; Australian ‘Jumbo’; and US ‘Extra or Very Large’)
• 2 tbsp very cold water (up to 2½ if more needed)

Red Pepper and Tomato Filling

• 400 g Ramiro Peppers (or alternative red sweet pointy peppers) – deseeded and cut into short strips
• 400 g Cherry Tomatoes halved
• 1 large red onion finely sliced
• 2 to 3 cloves garlic peeled and chopped
•  salt and pepper to season
• olive oil
• 125 g mature Cheddar cheese grated (or dairy free alternative)
• 220 g Camembert cheese (cut into chunks) – or an alternative semi-soft cheese of choice (or dairy free alternative)
• handful fresh parsley chopped

Instructions

Pastry Cases

• Weigh the flours, xanthan gum and salt into a large bowl and mix together until evenly combined.
• Add the butter and lard/Trex (both cut into very small cubes) to the bowl.
• For best results, chill the bowl with the ingredients for about half hour, before rubbing the fat the into the flour mixture using finger tips (or use a pastry cutter), until it resembles coarse breadcrumbs. .
• In a small bowl, beat the egg with 1 tbsp of very cold water and then pour into the crumb mixture.
• Stir the wet ingredients into the crumb mixture using a table knife until it begins to clump together.
• At this stage, set the dough aside (at room temperature unless in a very warm room/climate, in which case, refrigerate) to rest for 10 to 20 minutes. This will enable the dough to fully absorb the liquid.
• Once 'rested', start to bring the dough together with hands. If the dough feels very dry, add a little more very cold water (a tiny bit at a time) and work it into the dough with the knife. If it feels very sticky, add a tiny sprinkle more flour and work through with hands.
• Bring the mixture together and press into a ball.
• If not using immediately, wrap and refrigerate. And when ready to use, take from the fridge, bring to room temperature and knead very lightly to enable it to become 'rollable'.

Rolling and Blind-Baking the tart cases

• Divide the pastry dough into 4 to 5 pieces.
• Place either a large sheet of clingfilm or baking paper on the worktop and dust with flour.
• Roll out the first ball of dough (dust the top with flour also) to a thickness of 3 to 4 mm, trying to keep a circular shape.
• When the rolled pastry is just large enough to line the base and sides or the tin, carefully lift over the tart tin and and line by gently lifting and moulding the pastry across the base and up the sides. (If you prefer, you can use the cling film-flip method (see NOTES).

  Try to avoid cracking the pastry too much, but don't worry if it does crack as gluten free pastry is very forgiving and can be easily 'patched'.
• Trim the pastry edge flush with the top of the tin, using a sharp knife.
• Take the off-cuts and gently amalgamate with the second piece of dough and repeat the rolling-lining process. Continue until all the tins have been lined. Keep the final off-cuts for 'repairing' any holes as necessary.
• Check the pastry bases for any obvious cracks or holes. To 'repair' them, roll and trim a piece of pastry dough to rough size. Then using cold water, dampen both the area around the crack/hole and the down-side of the ‘patch’ and gently press together, smoothing the edges with a finger dipped in water to seal and tidy.
• Chill the lined tins for half an hour before baking.
•  While chilling, pre-heat the oven to 200 C/400 F/Gas 5. 
• Prick the bottom of each pastry base with a fork a few times across the surface. (This will help avoid the pastry 'bubbling' and puffing up).
• Scrunch and then flatten pieces of baking paper large enough and lay inside the flan case(s). Then fill the pastry base with baking beans.
• Bake the pastry with the baking beans for 10 minutes.
• Take out of the oven and remove the baking beans (lifting them on the baking paper and carefully pouring into a heat-proof container to cool). Discard the baking paper.
• Place the uncovered pastry base(s) back in the oven for a further 7 to 10 minutes, checking they are dry but do not burn.
• Once cooked, remove from the oven and set aside to cool until ready to fill.

Red Pepper and Tomato Filling

• Pre-heat the oven to 220 C/425 F/Gas 7.
• Place the cut peppers, halved tomatoes, sliced red onion and chopped garlic either in separate heat-proof dishes or together in one.
• Season with salt and black pepper, drizzle with olive oil and stir.
• Place in the oven and roast for about 40 minutes, stirring from time to time, until the vegetables are beginning to char on the edges.
• When roasted, remove from the oven and set aside. The filling can be either warm or cold when filling the pies. So can be made ahead of time.

Filling and Baking the Tarts

• Pre-heat the oven to 190 C/375 F/Gas 5.
• Sprinkle a fine layer of Cheddar cheese across the bottom of each tart case.
• Layer the pepper-tomato filling on top of the cheese (to almost the top of the tart case).
• Top the red filling with chunks of Camembert cheese.
• Bake for approx 15 minutes to heat through completely and allow the cheese to melt.
• Sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley and serve.

Notes

* Note: nutritional information is an estimate & may vary according to portion size/ingredient variants.

Gluten Free Alchemist Flour Blend B can be found on the GFA Flours & Flour Blending Page. If using an alternative flour (particularly one which is heavily rice-based), the texture will be different and more liquid may be required.

Lining the Tart Tin: When making the pastry bases, you have two options. a) Standard transfer : roll onto baking paper/work top and lift the pastry (with the help of the rolling pin) into the pie dish by hand as you would normally. b) Cling film-flip method : Roll onto a large piece of cling film and flip over into the pie tin whilst still on the cling film, easing into the dish, only removing the cling film after the pastry has chilled. I mostly use the first method and then ‘patch-up’ any cracks. But some people find the second method works better for some gluten free pastries.

Nutrition

Calories: 628.7kcal | Carbohydrates: 35.7g | Protein: 22.9g | Fat: 46.4g | Saturated Fat: 20.7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4.6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12.3g | Trans Fat: 1.8g | Cholesterol: 117.5mg | Sodium: 813.1mg | Potassium: 500.1mg | Fiber: 7.2g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 3836.7IU | Vitamin C: 122.6mg | Calcium: 418.8mg | Iron: 2.8mg

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© 2019-2023 Kate Dowse All Rights Reserved – Do not copy or re-publish this recipe or any part of this recipe on any other blog, on social media or in a publication without the express permission of Gluten Free Alchemist

Red Pepper Tart shared with

• What’s For Dinner? #385 with The Lazy Gastronome
• Full Plate Thursday #607 with Miz Helen’s Country Cottage
• Fiesta Friday #452 with Angie
• Cook Blog Share 2022 Weeks 42 & 43 with Glutarama