Feta and roast vegetable tarts with spelt pastry

I really enjoy this tasty vegetarian tart with crumbly spelt pastry.

1. 1

   To make the pastry:
   Place the spelt flour, butter and salt (optional) in a food processor and whizz until it resembles fine breadcrumbs, then add the egg yolk and water, a little at a time until it just comes together. Wrap in cling film, flatten slightly (this makes it easier to roll later) and put into the fridge for half an hour while preparing the filling (or make the day before and take out of the fridge half an hour before using).
   
   To cook the pastry:
   Preheat oven to 180° C. Roll out the pasty to about 3mm thick, large enough to line 4 mini fluted tart tins (4 inch / 10 cm diameter). Line the tins with the pastry, pressing it in well and leaving a little excess hanging over the top. If it breaks, just patch it up. Line the pastry case with scrunched up baking parchment ( a piece slightly large than the tin) and fill it with baking beans, dry rice or even copper coins. Bake blind for 15 minutes then remove the paper and the beans / rice / coins, and return to the oven to bake for a further 5 minutes. Remove and allow to cool.
   
   To make the filling:
   Preheat the oven to 230° C. Place the peppers in a small ovenproof dish, drizzle with a little olive oil, season with freshly ground black pepper and put on the top shelf in the oven.
   Mix the aubergine, courgette and sweet potato chunks in a bowl with 2 tbsp of olive oil and season to your taste. Put into a baking tin and place in the oven on the shelf beneath the peppers. Roast for 20 minutes. By this time all the veg should be nicely browned and the peppers beginning to blacken. Remove everything from the oven. If you want to peel the peppers, put them in a bowl and cover with cling film if and cool, then cut into small pieces. Otherwise, just leave to cool, then cut into small pieces (it simply depends on personal preference).
   While the veg is in the oven, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a small frying pan on a medium heat. Add the sliced onion and sauté with the bay leaf (and some salt and pepper if you like) for 10 -15 minutes, stirring from time to time, until soft, brown and sweet. Remove from the heat, take out the bay leaf and leave to cool.
   Whisk the egg and cream together and season to taste.
   
   To assemble the tarts:
   Place the tart tins on a baking tray.
   Put a spoonful of onion in each pastry case, then arrange the roasted veg on top. Sprinkle with half the thyme leaves, then put a little feta in each case. Cut the cherry tomatoes in half and add two to three halves to each tart, cut side up. Carefully pour the egg and cream mixture into the tart cases, it will be very full, but will all fit, with some of the veg and cheese slightly exposed. Sprinkle the rest of the thyme on top. Carefully transfer the tray to the oven and bake at 180° C for about 30 minutes, until set and golden.
   Take the tarts out of the oven and leave them to rest for 10 minutes before breaking off the excess pastry, if needed, and removing the tarts from the tin. Serve warm or cold.