Fresh Goat Cheese, Roasted Beet, and Walnut Tart
As the tart bakes, some of the beet juice will color the
custard and the goat cheese, giving each slice a pretty, almost marbleized
look. Since the flavors are a riff on the classic beet, walnut, and goat
cheese salad, this tart pairs especially well with a greens tossed with a
bright vinaigrette. A small slice also makes a somewhat unusual but delicious
side dish to grilled lamb chops.
Makes one 10-inch tart; serves 6 to 8
Ingredients:
2 to 3 small beets
1 tablespoon olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons dry white wine
1 recipe Hamersley's Bistro Tart Dough (see below, or use your own recipe)
3 large eggs
3/4 cup heavy cream
4 ounces fresh goat cheese
1 cup chopped walnuts (about 4 ounces)
1 tablespoon walnut oil (optional)
about 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Preparation:
Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Wash the beets and dry them with a
paper towel. Place the beets in a small ovenproof pan, drizzle them with the
olive oil, and season with a little salt and pepper. Cover the pan with
aluminum foil. Bake until the beets are tender when pierced with a paring
knife, about 1 hour.
Allow the beets to cool. Peel the beets using a small knife and cut them
into a medium dice. (Be careful, as beet juice can stain counters, towels,
and even your hands; you may want to wear gloves for this step.)
Heat the butter in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onion, season with
a little salt, and cook, stirring every few minutes, until the onion is just
tender, about 7 minutes. Add the white wine and cook for another minute,
scraping up any browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pan.
Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Toss the beets and onions together and put
them into the blind-baked tart shell.
Whisk together the eggs and cream, season well with salt and pepper, and
carefully pour it over the beets and onions, letting the cream seep evenly
into the beets. Dot the goat cheese all over the top of the tart. Put the
tart on a baking sheet and bake it for 20 minutes. Sprinkle the chopped
walnuts on top of the tart and drizzle the walnut oil over it, if using.
Return the tart to the oven and bake until just set, an additional 15 to 20
minutes. Sprinkle the tart with the chopped parsley and let it rest for at
least 5 minutes before serving.
Hamersley's Bistro Tart Dough
Makes 12 ounces, enough for one 10-inch tart or 6 individual
tarts
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
10 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small cubes and well chilled
4 to 5 tablespoons ice water
Preparation:
In a mixing bowl, combine the flour and the salt. Quickly
cut the butter into the flour, using a pastry blender or your fingers, until
the butter pieces are the size of large peas. (Alternatively, cut the butter
into the flour by pulsing it 8 to 10 times in food processor, being careful
not to overheat and overmix the butter.)
Dump the mixture out onto a clean surface and make a well in the center of
the flour. Pour the ice water into the well. Using just your fingertips and
working quickly, combine the flour mixture and the water. Work just until
the water is absorbed. The dough will be ragged but should hold together
when you squeeze it. If it seems dry, sprinkle on a few more drops of water.
Form the dough into a log shape about 8 inches long and parallel to the edge
of your work surface. With the heel of your hand, push down and away from
you all along the line of dough. With a pastry scraper, gather up the dough,
shape it back into a log, and repeat the smearing action. This technique,
known as fraisage, will form sheets of butter in the dough, creating a light
crust almost like puff pastry.
With the pastry scraper, gather the dough up into a ball; it's fine if the
dough does not come together completely at this time. Wrap the dough well in
plastic wrap, flatten it a bit, and let it rest in the refrigerator for at
least a half hour before rolling. The dough will keep in the refrigerator
for up to 2 days. You can also freeze the dough, well wrapped; allow it to
defrost for a day in the refrigerator before using it.
Roll and shape the dough according to your recipe's direction.
Source:
Chef Gordon Hamersley; Bistro Cooking at Home
