Beetroot, Feta Cheese and Thyme Tart with Fennel and Sweet Potato

This beetroot, feta and thyme tart looks amazing and tastes delicious, too. It requires a bit of time, but the recipe itself is really easy. It's vegetarian, and serves six, so it's perfect for summer entertaining.         Beetroot's main season runs from July until January, so you've got plenty of time to enjoy them.   This Guest Recipe was inspired by Lulu Grimes, Olive Magazine is the perfect way to use new young beetroots which taste sweet and tender when they are small.

However, I have now discovered that to make an even more substantial tart, I have added

both sweet potato and fennel, which work well with the other ingredients.

The images above show the quick version without fennel and sweet potato.

Utensils

Chopping Board

Sharp Knife

Vegetable Peeler

Bowl for peelings

Large roasting tray

Plate for cutting feta into cubes

11"/28 cm flan dish

Food Processor for making pastry (unless shop bought)



Ingredients

• For the filling:
  
  Beetroot 400g, scrubbed very clean, and cut into cubes (I chose 6 medium beetroots, both golden, white and red)
• 3 red onions, peeled and cubed
• 1 fennel, trimmed and cut into similar sized chunks
• 1 sweet potato, peeled and cut into cubes
  Olive oil
• 4 tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar (to toss vegetables after roasting)
• 200g Feta cheese, cut into 30 cubes
• Handful of fresh thyme, with stalks removed (otherwise used dried)
  
  For the pastry:
• Either shortcrust or puff pastry  (or you can make your own, quantities given below)
• 1 egg, lightly beaten

Alternatively, you can make your own Vegan pastry

• 1 cup / 100 g / 3.5 oz rolled oats (or 3/4 cup / 200 ml oat flour), choose certified gluten free if you are intolerant
• 1/3 cup / 50 g rice flour or use polenta, buckwheat, rice flour
• 1/2 cup/ 50 g almond flour
• 2 tbsp potato starch
• 1 tbs linseeds (or mixed seeds) - optional, but they add nice texture to the pastry
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 100 g / 5-6 tablespoons butter (for Vegan option use coconut oil, cut into dices)
• 4 tbsp ice-cold water
  

Method

1.  Heat the oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6.
   
   
2. Trim, peel and cut the vegetables into  one inch cubes (when preparing the beetroot, wear gloves if you don’t want pink hands) and put the pieces in a roasting tin, drizzle over some olive oil, and add both salt and pepper,  then roast for 35 - 40 minutes.
   
3. As soon as the vegetables start roasting in the oven, you can then prepare the pastry.
   
   
4. If using ready made  Puff Pastry  
   Roll the this out into a large rectangle on to a well floured board or silicon pastry mat (I think these are essential!).
   
   
5. Then transfer the puff pastry onto a baking sheet lined with greaseproof paper and score a 1cm border around the edge for puff pastry and brush the edge with egg.
   
   
6. If using ready made Short Crust Pastry, roll this out on a well floured board or silicone pastry mat and then position this over your flan dish, pressing it up the sides, covering the base evenly and then trim excess pastry.
   
   
7. If using  your own Vegan pastry
   Add all dry ingredients to a food processor and pulse until the oats have been mixed into flour.
   
   
8. Add the diced butter (or coconut oil) and pulse a few times until you get really small pieces of butter evenly distributed in the flour. (These steps can also be made by hand.) Add the water, pulse until everything comes together. Try to form a ball with your hands. If it feels crumbly, add 2-4 tbsp extra water. Gather the dough into a ball, wrap in clingfilm and chill for about 30 minutes.   This is important to help make the pastry easier to handle.   
   
   
9. If you are in a hurry, you can skip chilling the pastry and simply press it out using your fingers and knuckles until evenly distributed across the base and up the sides.   Use a fork to prick the base.
   
   
10. Blind-bake for 15 minutes to prevent the crust from getting soggy.  I added my pastry to the oven when there was just 15 minutes left on the clock, which seemed to be perfect timing.
    
    
11. When the clock rings - remove the tray of vegetables from the oven and also the pastry base.
    
    
12. Toss the beetroot and other vegetables in the balsamic and arrange inside the tart case.
    
    
13. Finally, place the cubes of feta evenly over the vegetables and sprinkle with the thyme leaves., along with the onion, feta and thyme leaves. Season the top well.
    
    
14. Put the tart tray on top of the baking sheet and bake for 20-30 minutes or until the pastry is  golden.
    
    
15. Scatter with more thyme leaves before serving.