Beetroot and Feta Tarte Tartin
If you can find pre-cooked vacuum packed beetroot, they would make an acceptable substitution in this tarte tartin. Use whatever cheese you prefer; feta, Persian feta or goat cheese.
I use a 20cm cast iron fry pan to make this tart, which will feed the three of us for dinner with a good side salad and maybe some crusty bread. You can make a larger tart if you wish, just scale the ingredients up accordingly. Don't make it too large though or it will be difficult to turn out of the fry pan.
I use a 20cm cast iron fry pan to make this tart, which will feed the three of us for dinner with a good side salad and maybe some crusty bread. You can make a larger tart if you wish, just scale the ingredients up accordingly. Don't make it too large though or it will be difficult to turn out of the fry pan.
Calories:
Ingredients
To roast the beetroot
- 6 small/medium beetroot washed but not peeled, approx. 300g
- 2 cloves garlic crushed
- A few sprigs of thyme
- Red wine vinegar
- Olive oil salt & pepper
- Splash of water
For the tarte tartin
- 6 small/medium roasted beetroot halved, approx. 300g
- 2 Tablespoons caramelised onions
- 2 teaspoons vincotto
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme
- Salt & pepper
- 1 sheet of ready-rolled puff pastry to fit your fry pan
- 80 g feta crumbled
Instructions
To roast the beetroot
- Pre-heat the oven to 180C
- Place the beetroot, garlic cloves and thyme in a baking dish.
- Add a splash of red wine vinegar to the tray and drizzle olive oil over the beetroot.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- Splash the water into the bottom of the baking tray.
- Cover the baking tray with alfoil, ensuring that it is well sealed, and place in the pre-heated oven for 45 minutes.
- The beetroot are ready when a metal skewer slides easily through the centre.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly.
- Slide your fingers, applying slight pressure, over the beetroot to remove the skins. They should slip off easily.
- Allow the beetroot to cool before proceeding with the tart or refrigerate until required.
For the tarte tartin
- Pre-heat the oven to 200C (180C fan forced).
- Place the fry pan top down onto the pastry sheet and cut a circle just ever so slightly larger than the top of the fry pan.
- Put the pastry circle aside whilst you assemble the filling.
- Place the beetroot cut side down in the bottom of the fry pan. Squeeze them in and juggle them around until they fit.
- Drizzle the vincotto over the beetroot.
- Season the beetroot with salt & pepper.
- Drape the caramelised onions over the beetroot.
- Place the pastry circle over the top of the fry pan and tuck the pastry into the sides of the beetroot, as if you were tucking in a bed sheet.
- Place the fry pan in the oven and cook for 30 minutes, or until the pastry is golden and well risen.
- Remove from the oven and allow to sit for 5 minutes.
- Place a plate over the top of the fry pan, and then flip the fry pan over.
- Hold your breath and remove the frypan. Hopefully all of the pieces of beetroot have fallen into place in the pastry. If not, just place any stray beetroot pieces back in the holes.
- Scatter over the crumbled feta and serve.
Notes
Beetroot become impossible to peel if they are allowed to cool completely. Peel them as soon as they are cool enough to handle. Trust me on this one.
If you can't find (or don't have) vincotto, stir 1/2 teaspoon of sugar into 2 teaspoons of balsamic vinegar and use that instead.