Y E L LOW B E E T ROOT AND F E TA TA RT SERVES: 6-8


The perfect centrepiece for an alfresco feast. Transport the tart in the tin it was baked in – just wrap it in a clean tea towel or with baking paper secured with twine.


INGREDIENTS FOR THE PASTRY:


125g plain flour 125g spelt or wholemeal flour 125g butter, cold from the fridge 4-6 tbsp water, ice cold 1 tsp salt, flaked A sprinkling of fresh thyme leaves not sprigs


A little beaten egg - just use some of the beaten eggs to be included in the filling


You could make the pastry with 250g of spelt or wholemeal flour, but we prefer to use a 50:50 mix of spelt or wholemeal flour and plain flour as it binds together well and bakes to a perfectly crumbly texture.


INGREDIENTS FOR THE FILLING:


3 yellow beetroot, peeled and coarsely grated 1 red onion, finely sliced 150ml crème fraîche 140g feta cheese, crumbled 2 eggs, beaten 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar 1 tbsp soft brown sugar 1 tbsp olive oil A bunch of fresh thyme leaves not sprigs Nigella seeds for sprinkling Dried purple (or green) basil for sprinkling


METHOD


You can make the pastry by hand or in a food processor. Start by mixing the flours, salt and thyme together and pulse in the processor or mix with a wooden spoon.


Next, add the butter and either pulse in the processor or rub between your fingers until you have a rough breadcrumb consistency. Now add the water, tablespoon by tablespoon, pulsing or mixing each time, until the mixture comes together as a dough. Shape into a circle, wrap in baking paper and pop into the fridge for 30 minutes or so. Preheat the oven to 210°C (190°C fan).


When it comes to rolling out your pastry, roll it between a couple of sheets of baking parchment. This reduces the chances of the pastry sticking to the surface and allows you to achieve the thickness required.


Once the pastry is chilled, roll it out into a large circle just bigger than a 24cm fluted loose-bottomed tart tin and about the thickness of a £1 coin. Remove the top sheet of baking parchment (keeping it aside for later) and roll the pastry over a lightly floured rolling pin before laying it over the tart tin. Remove the remaining sheet of parchment and use your fingers to push the pastry into the edges and scallops of the tin. Pop it into the fridge for another ten minutes.


Cover the pastry with your saved sheet of parchment and use baking beans or rice to weight it down. No need to trim the sides – do this at the end so you don’t have to worry about your pastry shrinking. Bake for 15 minutes, then take out of the oven, remove the beans and paper, brush with a little egg and pop it back in the oven for ten minutes. When it’s ready, take it out, trim the overhanging pastry and place to one side to cool while you get on with preparing the filling.


Turn the oven down to 180°C (160°C fan). Heat the oil in a frying pan and cook the onion over a low-medium heat until soft. Add the beetroot, vinegar, sugar and a splash of water to loosen. Next throw in the thyme leaves. Cook for five to eight minutes, stirring occasionally, until everything is soft and there’s no liquid in the pan.


Cool the filling slightly, then spread over the base of the tart. Next sprinkle over the crumbled feta cheese. Whisk the eggs together with the crème fraîche and season with a little black pepper. Pour this over the feta and spread to cover the surface.


Cook in the oven for 30–40 minutes, or until set and golden. Leave to cool slightly before scattering with extra thyme, nigella seeds and dried purple basil.


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WINING & DINING RECIPE S TO TRY AT HOME


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