Rustic Chicken-Vegetable Tart

A cooked filling of chicken and several vegetables, seasoned with herbs, tops a yeast dough that's used as a crust for this tart.

Ingredients:

• Pastry Dough:
• 1 teaspoon active dry yeast
• 1/3 cup warm water
• 1 egg, beaten
• 3 tablespoons fat-free sour cream
• 1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• Nonstick cooking spray (garlic-flavored)
• Filling:
• 1 tablespoon olive or vegetable oil
• 1 cup chopped raw chicken
• 1 carrot, diced
• 1 cup sliced mushrooms
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced leeks
• 1 medium zucchini, sliced
• 1/2 cup diced celery
• 1 medium red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 8-10 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
• 1 teaspoon chopped rosemary
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Black pepper to taste
• 3-4 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 egg white, beaten

Directions:

To proof yeast, pour the warm water into a medium size bowl and sprinkle in yeast; stir until dissolved. Let stand 5 minutes or until mixture is bubbly. Add egg and sour cream, mixing until smooth. Stir in flours and salt, making a moderately soft dough. Knead dough on lightly floured surface 1-2 minutes or until smooth. Shape dough into ball; place in large bowl sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Turn dough over to grease top. Cover bowl with towel; let rest in a warm place for 20 minutes. While the dough is resting, begin preparing chicken and vegetables for the tart. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat until hot. Add the chicken and cook until opaque. Add the carrot, mushrooms, leeks, zucchini, celery, red pepper, garlic, basil, rosemary, salt and pepper. Cook 8-10 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Roll out pastry dough on a floured surface to a 14-inch round; place on a cookie sheet or large pizza pan. Spoon vegetable mixture onto the dough, leaving a 2 1/2-inch border around edges; sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Fold the edges of dough over part of the vegetable mixture, pleating dough as necessary to fit. Brush edge of dough with egg white. Bake in the center of the oven, about 25 minutes or until pastry is golden brown. Garnish with fresh basil and rosemary, if desired. Cut into wedges; serve warm.

Number of Servings: 5 or 6

Notes from the Cook: This is my all-time favorite creation!