Cooking the whole unpeeled beetroot in the ESSE slowly until just cooked, is nutritious and gives the beetroot a rich and sweet flavour too. No need to bake the pastry blind as you cook it direct on the base of the oven. I like to add a few of the beetroot leaves, chopped to the filling, making the most of this delicious earthy vegetable!
Ingredients
For the shortcrust pastry:
- 225g plain flour, I use half wholemeal spelt and half plain flour
- 140g butter, chilled
- 1 large egg
For the filling:
- 4 beetroots, plus a few leaves, chopped
- 2 red onions, thinly sliced
- Olive oil
- 100g soft goat’s cheese
- 3 eggs, beaten
- 200ml single cream
- A small handful of fresh dill, chopped
- Balsamic vinegar
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method
- Wash the beetroot and cut off the tops (save a few leaves for the filling) and roast them in the ESSE for about 1 ½ hours (depending on the size and freshness of the beetroot).
- When the beetroot is almost tender, allow to cool a little and then slip the skins off with your fingers.
- While the beetroot is cooking make the pastry as you would for shortcrust and line a 24cm loose-based flan tin.
- Fry the onions in a little olive oil until they begin to colour then add a splash of balsamic vinegar and seasoning. Reduce the heat and continue to cook until the onions soften a little more.
- Set aside to cool and then place in the pastry case.
- Dice up a couple of the cooked and peeled beetroots and scatter over the onions and add some of the green beetroot leaves if you wish.
- Put the cream and eggs into a bowl and mix together, add the chopped dill and season with salt and pepper.
- Pour the mixture into the pastry case.
- Scatter over the goat’s cheese and quarter the rest of the beetroot and carefully place on top of the tart.
- Place on the base of the oven at 170C (ESSE dial guide MODERATE) and cook for about 40 minutes or until the filling has set and just starting to colour. Allow to cool slightly in the tin before serving.
Recipe prepared by Philippa Vine using the ESSE 1000 X Electric Range Cooker at Bluebell Farmhouse Kitchen & Cookery School, East Sussex.
