The real deal
plus a recipe for a really good tomato ricotta tart for breakfast, lunch or dinner
When will it be over, really?
September has come and with it, more worries and fears. Instead of opening up, we’re still hunkering down. We try to find truth to make sense and meaning of it all, and yet misinformation abounds. It’s enough to make you want to burrow in a corner and not come out of hiding until spring.
With all that, connections are more important than ever.
The ties that bind
So, have you made a new friend in the past year?
It’s been hard to do, hasn’t it? The normal ebb and flow of life, where we make connections, both casual and deeper, have been stripped away.
Earlier this year, I wrote about the weak links we make that enrich us in unexpected ways. These casual interactions, once so taken for granted, filled our lives with nuance and perspectives that we may not have been exposed to. And. if we were lucky, sometimes, they became something more.
That’s why my virtual world has taken on greater significance and meaning.
Every week for well over a year, I’ve been meeting with a group of women for a glass of wine. Never mind that it’s been through a computer screen. We soon dubbed ourselves the Travelling Sweatpants, and optimistically planned a trip to the south of France for September.
With autumn fast approaching, reality bit. Despite the prospect of a lovely sojourn in the south of France at this spectacular home, it was too much, too soon. Covid resurgences. Travel restrictions. Family obligations. The slowing down of summer. The speeding up of work.
And yet, the prospect of being together, of connecting in real life, lured us still. Why not a weekend away? Why not Montreal?
Real life moments
And so, this weekend, the Sweatpants, minus two, made our way to la belle province. Six virtual friends, some meeting for the first time. In a way, we felt like a butterfly emerging from a chrysalis, freed, if only for a little while, to float above the fray of the last year.
So here’s what we Sweatpants collectively learned, about each other and about ourselves this weekend.
It’s good to be spontaneous
Letting someone else take the wheel is really relaxing: being a passenger is a good thing
Just say yes to new things - you might find something you like better
Re-entry is hard - be kind
Understand when you’re at capacity
No judgement!
We ate; we laughed; we drank (a lot); we picnicked on the Lachine Canal with the most delicious food from the Atwater market; we were introduced to Janis’s Montreal; we realised we didn’t miss shopping as much as we thought we did; we drank some more.
As we sit on the train winding our leisurely way back to Toronto, we also know one other thing. Connections formed in the digital world can become real and deeply meaningful. And that, dear friends, both new and old, is the most important thing of all.
Tomato Tart with Grainy Mustard and Ricotta
from Dorie Greenspan’s Everyday Dorie
serves four generously
If there’s one thing that needs to be real, it’s tomatoes. And by real, I mean in-season, local and perfectly ripe. If that sounds a bit snobby I’m sorry, but I stand by my assertion. Yes, cooking will heighten the flavour of any tomato, but starting with amazing ingredients will only make the end result better.
In what will likely be the last of my tomato posts, please promise me you will try to find the last of this season’s most magical ingredient. This is the time to buy the slightly bruised, misshapen and unloved tomatoes. They will still give you their sweet essence, made especially lovely in my favourite summer tart.
Ingredients
One 9-inch tart shell made with your favourite recipe, partially baked and cooled
2 teaspoons olive oil, plus more for brushing
2 cups (about 100 grams) packed finely shredded greens, such as chard, kale, spinach, or arugula
Fine sea salt and freshly ground pepper
About 1 pound (454 grams) tomatoes (3 to 4 medium or a mix of medium and cherry or grape tomatoes)
½ cup (125 grams) ricotta (whole-milk or low-fat)
1 large egg yolk
3 large eggs
6 tablespoons (90 ml) heavy cream
3 tablespoons grainy mustard
Instructions
Centre a rack in the oven and preheat it to 425 degrees F. Place the partially baked tart shell on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
To make the filling:
Warm the olive oil in a large skillet, preferably non-stick, over medium heat. Toss in the greens, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring, until they wilt and soften, 1 minute or less. (The wilted greens can be kept at room temperature for up to 2 hours.) Scrape them into the crust, leaving any oil in the skillet.
Slice the tomatoes about 1/4 inch thick. If you’re using cherry tomatoes, halve them. Lay the tomatoes out on a double layer of paper towels, cover with more paper towels and pat away the excess moisture.
Mix the ricotta with the egg yolk and season with salt and pepper and set aside.
Whisk together the eggs, cream, and mustard; season with salt and pepper. Pour into the crust. Add the tomatoes, arranging them so that they’re fairly evenly distributed. Finish by spooning dollops of the ricotta mixture over the top.
Bake for about 30 minutes, until the filling is puffed and firm in the center; a skewer inserted into the center should come out clean. Transfer the baking sheet to a rack and let the tart cool for at least 15 minutes before serving or allow it to come to room temperature.