Equipment
* optional
Ingredients
Roasted Peppers
- 2 red bell pepper, whole
- 2 garlic, finely grated
- 15 ml extra virgin olive oil, liquid
- 2 g fine sea salt
Sun-Dried Tomato Purée
- 100 g sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained
- 15 ml extra virgin olive oil
Base and Assembly
- 4 country sourdough bread, sliced 1.5 cm thick
- 140 g goat cheese, crumbled, room temperature
- 60 g kalamata olives, pitted and sliced
- 10 g fresh basil leaves, torn
- 1 g black pepper, freshly cracked
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 481 kcal
- Protein
- 17 g
- Carbohydrates
- 52 g
- Fat
- 24 g
- Fiber
- 5 g
- Sodium
- 1067 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 7 g
- Potassium
- 715 mg
- Calcium
- 111 mg
- Iron
- 4.5 mg
- Magnesium
- 53 mg
- Phosphorus
- 209 mg
- Zinc
- 1.4 mg
- Vitamin A
- 276 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 130 mg
- Water
- 63 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Position an oven rack 10 cm (4 inches) beneath the broiler element and preheat the oven broiler to 230°C (450°F).
Place the whole red bell peppers on a rimmed baking sheet and broil for 10 to 12 minutes, turning with tongs every 3 to 4 minutes, until skins are evenly blistered and blackened on all sides.
Transfer the charred peppers immediately to a mixing bowl, cover tightly with a plate or lid, and allow to steam undisturbed for 10 minutes to loosen the skins.
Transfer the steamed peppers to a cutting board, peel away and discard charred skins, cut open to remove stems and seeds, and slice the remaining flesh lengthwise into 1 cm wide strips.
In a clean mixing bowl, toss the warm sliced pepper strips with 2 finely grated garlic cloves, 15 ml extra virgin olive oil, and 2 g fine sea salt until well coated, then set aside to marinate.
Place 100 g drained sun-dried tomatoes and 15 ml extra virgin olive oil into a food processor and pulse until a coarse, spreadable purée forms.
Arrange the 4 slices of country sourdough bread on the baking sheet and toast under the broiler at 230°C (450°F) for 2 to 3 minutes per side until golden brown and crisp.
Spread approximately 25 g of the sun-dried tomato purée evenly across the top surface of each toasted sourdough slice.
Evenly distribute the garlicky roasted pepper strips across the tomato purée layer, scatter 60 g sliced kalamata olives over the top, and crumble 140 g goat cheese generously across all four slices.
Scatter 10 g torn fresh basil leaves and 1 g freshly cracked black pepper evenly over the tartines, then serve immediately.
Chef's Notes
- Tossing the grated garlic with the peppers while they are still warm gently blooms the garlic, mellowing its raw pungency and infusing the oil.
- If using Camembert instead of fresh goat cheese, cut it while cold from the refrigerator into neat 5 mm wedges, then allow it to come to room temperature on the tartine for maximum creaminess.
- Never rinse charred peppers under running tap water to remove skins; doing so washes away sweet caramelization and vital aromatic compounds.
- A sturdy, naturally leavened sourdough or pain de campagne with an open yet supportive crumb structure is essential to prevent the wet toppings from soaking through.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store the roasted peppers, tomato purée, and cheese in separate airtight containers. Assemble tartines immediately before serving to prevent the bread from softening.
Reheating: Reheat leftover roasted pepper mixture in a small skillet over low heat until warmed through to 74°C (165°F). Toast fresh bread before assembling.
Troubleshooting
Bread base becomes soggy and collapses quickly
Cause: The bread was sliced too thin, insufficiently toasted, or the roasted pepper strips were overly wet when placed on top
Fix: Cannot be fixed once fully saturated; consume immediately or toast a fresh slice of bread and transfer toppings
Prevention: Slice bread at least 1.5 cm thick, toast until thoroughly firm and dry, and let excess oil and juices drain slightly from the pepper strips before assembly
Pepper skins cling tightly to the flesh and refuse to peel easily
Cause: Peppers were not charred sufficiently under the broiler or did not steam long enough in the covered bowl
Fix: Use a paring knife to gently scrape away remaining stubborn skins, or return unpeeled sections under the broiler for 2 minutes
Prevention: Ensure the skin is extensively blackened and blistered before removing from heat, and keep the bowl tightly covered for the full 10 minutes
Raw garlic flavor is overly harsh and dominates the sweet peppers
Cause: Garlic was grated into large pieces or mixed into completely cold peppers where heat could not temper its bite
Fix: Stir in an additional 5 ml of extra virgin olive oil and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice to soften sulfurous garlic compounds
Prevention: Grate garlic on a fine microplane and mix it into the pepper strips while the peppers are still warm from the steaming process
Cultural Context
In French culinary tradition, the tartine is an open-faced sandwich historically rooted in rustic simplicity, transforming artisan country bread into a complete meal. This variation draws on the sun-drenched flavors of Provence and the Mediterranean coast, marrying roasted poivrons, sharp chèvre, and preserved tomatoes in the spirit of southern French bistro dining.
