Ricotta and Roasted Beet Tart with Beet Greens Pesto
This savory, rustic tart makes use of the whole beet – from leaf to root – all tucked into flaky gluten-free pastry with ricotta goat cheese custard and slathered in brilliant green pesto.
6small beets (preferably a mix of gold, red, and/or chiogga)
12ounceswhole-milk ricotta (such as Bellwether Basket Dipped)(340 g / 1 ½ cups)
4ouncesfresh chèvre, crumbled(113 g)
1large egg
1tablespoonfresh oregano (or marjoram), chopped, plus whole leaves for garnish
¼teaspoonfine sea salt
¼teaspoonfreshly ground black pepper
olive oil, for drizzling
1egg, beaten, for brushing the crust
Pesto:
Leavesfrom 1 bunch yellow beets, stripped from stems and washed well(2 cups packed)
¼cupraw walnut halves(25 g)
2medium garlic cloves, peeled
⅓cupolive oil(80 ml)
⅓cuppacked grated parmesan(30 g)
salt, to taste
Instructions
Make the tart:
Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 400ºF.
Trim the beets and place them in a smallish baking dish with a lid. Add ¼ inch of water to the pan, cover, and roast in the oven until the beets are tender when pierced with the tip of a paring knife, 45-60 minutes. Remove and let cool, then peel the beets and slice each lengthwise into 4 pieces, each slice about ¼- to ½ - inch thick.
To make the filling, combine the ricotta, chèvre, egg, oregano, salt, and pepper together in a medium bowl and stir until mostly smooth (some chèvre lumps are fine). Chill until needed.
Meanwhile, shape the dough. If the dough is cold, let it stand at room temperature until slightly softened, 5 minutes in a warm kitchen or 15 minutes in a cool kitchen. Sandwich the dough between two pieces of parchment paper dusted lightly with oat flour, and gently begin pressing it flat, then rolling it into a 12×16″ rectangle. As you work, periodically peel back the top piece of parchment, dust the dough lightly with flour, replace the parchment, grasp the dough sandwich with both hands, and flip the whole thing over. Peel off the new top piece of parchment, dust with flour, and continue to roll. If the dough is uneven, cut off the long bits and press them onto the short bits, rolling to adhere. When your rectangle is 12×16″, trim the sides so that they’re even and straight. (If your dough becomes soft or sticky at any point, slip it onto a baking sheet, parchment and all, and chill it for 10-20 minutes to firm the butter.)
Slide the dough onto a (preferably rimless) sheet pan, still on the parchment. Spread the cheese mixture evenly over the dough, leaving a 1″ border all the way around. Gently fold over the edges to make a crust. Nestle the beet slices evenly into the filling, and brush the crust with the beaten egg.
Bake the tart at 400ºF until the crust and cheese are golden, 30-40 minutes.
Meanwhile, make the pesto:
Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Prepare an ice water bath in a medium bowl. When the water boils, add the beet greens and cook until bright green, 1 minute. Immediately drain and place in the ice bath until chilled. Drain the greens again, squeeze out as much water as possible, and chop roughly. Place the blanched, shocked, and chopped greens in a small blender or food processor with the walnuts, garlic, olive oil, and parmesan and puree smooth. Taste, adding salt if needed.
Finish the tart:
Drizzle the finished tart with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and top with fresh oregano leaves. Cut the tart into 12 squares. Serve tart squares with a dollop of pesto.
The tart is best when freshly baked, but extras reheat well in a hot oven in 5-10 minutes. The pesto keeps well, refrigerated airtight, for up to 1 week.
Notes
Make the crust, pesto, and roast the beets the day before, and this savory tart comes together quickly.If gluten isn't an issue, try a half recipe of this flaky wheat dough instead.If your beets are green-less, feel free to substitute arugula or basil in the pesto.Nutritional values are based on one of twelve servings.