Beetroot & Goat's Cheese Tart

I couldn't tell you exactly when it was that I started eating the "fancier" cheeses. I know that I was quite young and I'm confident that one of the very first that I tried was goat's cheese.

I first tried goat's cheese that had simply been spread on toast with a drizzle of oil and cracked pepper, and let me tell that at that very moment, I'm positive that I had some sort of outer body experience. That melt in the mouth, I don't want to share, this is all I want to eat for the rest of my life moment, that I'm sure you've all experienced at some point in your life; probably more than once.

Beetroot, on the other hand, was one that took some time for me to enjoy. As a younger person, it wasn't my first choice. I think it was because of the salad sandwiches I would sometimes have that had the tinned beetroot in it, and it would always make the bread soggy, making it an unpleasant, messy thing to eat. But then one day, I was at a work function where they were serving cocktail food, and it was there that I came across the mini Goat's Cheese and Beetroot Tart (pause for another out of body experience).

To me, the marriage between goat's cheese and beetroot is a match made in heaven, and if you haven't tried it, I think it's a must.

Below is a recipe that I love, and although you need to allow a bit of time to make it, it'll be well worth the wait. Cheers!

Prep: 1h, 10 mins Cook: 2h 5 mins Serves: 8

Ingredients

- 1 Bunch Beetroot (about 400g), trimmed

- 30g Unsalted Butter

- 1 tbsp Olive Oil

- 2 Red Onions, thinly sliced

- 1/4 cup (60ml) Balsamic Vinegar

- 2 tsp Thyme Leaves, plus extra sprigs

- 1 tbsp Caster Sugar

- 150g Soft Goat's Cheese

- 2 Eggs, lightly beaten

- 150ml Thickened Cream

- 1/2 tsp Freshly Grated Nutmeg

- 250g Creme Fraiche or Sour Cream

- 1 tbsp Bottled Horseradish

- 2 tsp Dijon Mustard

- 1 tbsp Lemon Juice

- Salt, to season

Pastry

- 1 & 1/3 cups (200g) Plain Flour

- 100g Chilled Unsalted Butter, chopped

- 1 tsp Thyme Leaves

Method

Step 1

Place beetroot in a pan of cold water and bring to the boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 1 hour, topping with water if necessary, until tender. Drain. Refresh under cold water and leave to cool. Peel and coarsely grate. Set aside.

Step 2

Meanwhile, for the pastry, place flour, butter, thyme and a pinch salt in a food processor and whiz until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add 1/4 cup (60ml) chilled water, then process until the mixture comes together in a ball. Enclose in plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes. Lightly grease a 30cm loose-bottomed tart pan. On a lightly floured surface, roll out pastry to 5mm thick, then use to line the tart pan. Chill for 15 minutes.

Step 3

Preheat oven to 180°C (about 350°F). Line pastry with baking paper and fill with pastry weights or uncooked rice. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove the paper and weights, then bake for 5 minutes or until dry and pale golden.

Step 4

Heat the butter and oil in a frypan over medium heat. Add onions and 1 teaspoon salt, then cook, stirring occasionally, for 6-8 minutes until softened. Add beetroot, vinegar, thyme and sugar, then cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until thickened and syrupy. Spread beetroot mixture over the tart base, then crumble over cheese.

Step 5

Whisk egg, cream and nutmeg together, then pour into tart case. Scatter with extra thyme. Bake for 35 minutes or until set.

Tips & Hints

To save time, make the pastry the day before and store in the fridge until you're ready to use. Allow the pastry to soften before rolling it out.