Over the past decade or so, Jatz crackers have had their remit expanded. No longer confined to a vehicle for cabanossi and cubes of rubbery cheese, the malted biscuits – and their counterparts Ritz, which are more common in Melbourne and Adelaide – have found their way onto restaurant menus, with toppings like anchovies and butter, and whiting and cod roe.
But in this recipe by food writer and recipe columnist Katrina Meynink, Jatz crackers find an entirely new role: as the base of a rustic tomato and harissa pie layered with multiple cheeses. “Cheese and a cracker, but elevated. Because that is how we roll,” writes Meynink. It’s from Meynink’s new cookbook Kitchen Keepers, a vibrant compendium of recipes geared towards the time-poor who still want to eat well. That means an entire chapter devoted to ways with mince (gochujang honey meatloaf, a crispy crunchy moussaka), as well as recipes for a cold noodle salad with turmeric and lemongrass, “dirty Martini” chicken with feta and tomatoes and a chicken and couscous bake.
Accompanying this recipe is a reminder from Meynink to always read to the end before you begin. “Now you might be the type that skips reading the instructions and heads straight to the set-up,” she writes. “STOP. I really want you to take this on board: to ensure this is a firm tart, you really want to take your time compacting the biscuit base – it will add a minute to your labour time but will result in a delightful crust that doesn’t collapse. Put your back into it. Worth it.”
Katrina Meynink’s tomato, harissa and Jatz pie
Serves 10
Preparation time: 30 minutes, plus cooling
Cooking time: 1 hour 50 minutes
Ingredients
1kg medium tomatoes
Olive oil, for drizzling
225g Jatz crackers (if Jatz unavailable, substitute with Ritz crackers)
1 tsp garlic powder
1 egg, plus 1 yolk
125g salted butter, melted
Fried garlic slices, to serve (optional)
Cheesy layer
½ cup grated manchego
½ cup grated fontina
¼ cup soft goat’s cheese
½ tsp each ground caraway, ground cumin and ground coriander
1 egg
1 tablespoon harissa paste (or to taste)
Method
Preheat your oven to 170°C.
Slice the tomatoes evenly and spread on a roasting tin lined with baking paper (you might need two). Drizzle with a little olive oil and season generously with sea salt flakes. Pop in the oven and cook for 40 minutes or until the tomatoes have roasted and dried out a bit.
Grease a 22cm fluted tart tin with a removable base. Line the base with baking paper. Put the crackers, garlic powder and a big pinch of sea salt flakes in a food processor and blitz to very fine crumbs. Add the egg plus extra yolk and the melted butter to the cracker crumbs and blitz again until it comes together. It should resemble wet sand and almost clump in the food processor. Tip the mixture into the centre of your tart tin, pressing it down across the base and up the sides. Using the flat base of a glass, start in the centre and work outward, pressing very firmly on the bottom. When you reach the sides, place your thumb over the top of the crumb edge, pressing down on the crumbs at the same time as you are pushing the glass up against the sides. Do not rush this step! You want to compact the mixture as firmly and evenly as possible.
Pop the tart tin on a baking tray, then shove it in the oven and bake for 8–10 minutes. Remove and allow to cool.
For the cheesy layer, combine all the ingredients in a bowl. Dollop half the cheesy mixture over the cooled tart base. Layer over half the roasted tomatoes, then top again with the rest of the cheese mixture and finish with the remaining tomatoes. Pop back into the oven to cook for 1 hour.
When it’s done, you need to be patient and let this cool, because cutting while it is still hot will mean a crumbly mess – trust me, I know. Patience, in this case, is a very good thing. Once cooled, use a sharp knife to cut into slices. Scatter with fried garlic, if using, just before serving.
This is an edited extract from Kitchen Keepers by Katrina Meynink published by Hardie Grant Books; RRP $40.
