Beetroot, Spinach, Feta & Walnut Tart
Tart up your Spring with this beetroot, spinach, feta and walnut delight. Perfect for a lazy al fresco lunch as the warm weather creeps in. This is a favourite combination of mine, full of flavour, texture & nutrition but you can play around with the filling, such as using goat's cheese or ricotta instead of feta, and kale instead of spinach. You can save time and make the pastry the day before and keep it in the fridge.
Servings: 6 people
Time: 2 hours
Ingredients
Pastry:
125g plain flour
125g spelt (or wholemeal flour)
1 tsp sea salt
1 tbsp dried oregano
125g butter, cold from the fridge
1 tbsp wholegrain mustard
6 tablespoons ice-cold water
Filling:
3 raw beetroot, peeled
1 tbsp coconut oil
1 red onion, sliced
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 big handfuls spinach (or kale)
salt & pepper
3 eggs, beaten
100g feta, crumbled (or goats cheese/ricotta)
150ml milk (plant based or dairy)
handful of walnuts
drizzle honey or agave
Method
To make the pastry, add the dry ingredients to a food processor and mix well. Add the butter gradually, pulsing as you go, until a rough consistency is formed. Then add the mustard and water, 1 tbsp at a time, until a dough is formed.
Gather into a ball, wrap in cling film and chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes or overnight.
Preheat oven to 200C fan. On a floured surface, roll out the pastry into a rough circle about 5mm thick. This should be about an inch bigger than your loose-bottomed tart tin (~24cm).
Carefully lay the pastry over the tin and use your fingers to press it down. Prick the base with a fork a few times, cover with baking paper and use rice (or baking beans if you have them) to weigh it down. Blind bake for 10-15 minutes.
To make the filling, grate the beetroot using the chunky side of the grater. Set aside between kitchen paper to absorb the liquid.
Melt the coconut oil in a large frying pan and soften the onion for 5 minutes. Add garlic and fry for a minute before adding vinegar, spinach, and seasoning. When the spinach has wilted, remove it from the heat.
Beat the eggs together with milk then crumble in the feta. Mix in the cooked veg and combine well.
Arrange the grated beetroot in a layer at the bottom of the pastry, saving a little extra for sprinkling on top. Pour over the egg mixture, sprinkle over the rest of the beetroot and top with walnuts. Finally, drizzle over a little honey/agave and bake for 30 mins until firm.
Serve with your favourite salads, such as a Zucchini Ribbon Salad.