3.14...pi day {march 14, 2022}

It's a Monday fun day! It's Pi/Pie Day.

Pi, known by the Greek letter “π,” is a constant value used in math that represents the ratio of a circumference of a circle to its diameter, which is just about 3.14….15…9265359… (and so on). Not only that, but the fourteenth of March is also Albert Einstein’s birthday, so all together it’s nothing short of a mathematician’s delight.

I'm not a mathematician (but for an English major, I'm good at math) and I'm geeky when it comes to words and ideas coming together as a cause for celebration.

And there will be pie for dinner. Today's celebratory pie is a very full veggie tart inspired by a recipe in Yotam Ottolenghi's cookbook, Plenty. If you're vegetarian, this is a delicious meal; if not, it's a delicious side. As the cookbook states, "A fantastic Mediterranean feast, full to the brim with roasted vegetables."

Very Full Tart

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 yellow bell pepper, diced

1 medium eggplant, diced into 1” pieces

1 small sweet potato, peeled and diced into 1” pieces

1 small zucchini, cut into 1” dice

2 medium onions, thinly sliced

2 bay leaves

2 purchased pie crusts

1 t. thyme

1/2 c. ricotta cheese

4 1/2 oz feta

Cherry tomatoes (around 20)

2 eggs

1 c. milk or cream

Put the vegetables on a cookie sheet, drizzle with olive oil. Roast vegetables at 400° for 15-20 minutes.

In a large pan, heat 2T. of olive oil over medium heat, add the onions and bay leaves, sprinkle with salt, and sauté for 20 or so minutes until the onions brown and are soft.

After the veggies are out of the oven, brown the pie crusts according to the package directions. 

In a blender, mix the milk/cream, ricotta, feta, eggs, thyme; add some salt and pepper.

Put the onions on the bottom of the browned pie crusts then put the roasted veggies over the onions. Pour the contents of the blender over the veggies and bake for 35-45 minutes until the filling sets and turns golden. Remove from oven and let the tarts rest for at least 10 minutes before serving.