Featured Recipe
Beet and Feta Tart
By Kate
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A tart featuring red and golden beets wrapped in a flaky crust, combined with creamy feta and fresh herbs. Uses a buttery pastry base with a rich custard of cream and eggs, finished with a sprinkle of mint. Roasting wrapped beets until tender, then slicing to create a color-contrast pattern. Blending the crust dough with less water and cold butter for flakiness. Baking till set and slightly browned. Serve warm or at room temperature.
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Prep:
35 min
Cook:
Total:
Serves:
8 servings
vegetarian
French-inspired
tart recipe
beet dish
Introduction
Raw beets wrapped tight in foil and roasted until tender, dark red and yellow intensify. You get a color pop slicing thin. Creamy custard holds feta chunks with mint for fresh brightness. Crust lighter on flour, keeps rich butter for flake but not too heavy. Cool dough cold, quick roll, pressed into pan. Bake lower rack for even heat around custard without burning edges too much. Patterned beets on top, alternating red and gold. Silky smooth custard settles around cubes of salty cheese. Slice and serve warm or cool off for a slightly firmer texture. Ends up earthy, salty, fresh, and rich. No extra fuss needed.
Ingredients
Crust
- 160 g (1 cup plus 2 tbsp) all-purpose unbleached flour
- Pinch of salt
- 95 g (7 tbsp) unsalted cold butter, cubed
- 25 ml (1 1/2 tbsp) iced water, plus extra if needed
- 110 g (1 cup) feta cheese diced
- 280 ml (1 cup plus 2 tbsp) 12% cream
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten
- 25 ml (1 1/2 tbsp) chopped fresh mint
- 2 yellow beets
- 2 red beets
Filling
About the ingredients
Substitute a bit less flour to keep crust tender. Use iced water to stop butter melting prematurely. Butter cold, cubed. If you lack a food processor, rub butter into flour quickly by hand and add water until dough clings. Mint replaces the original chive for a fresh, slightly cooling contrast to beets and feta. Cream at 12% fat gives a less dense, lighter filling than higher fat creams. Adjust beet size for uniform slices. Leave skin on till after cooking makes peeling easy. Red and yellow beets give visual contrast - can swap yellow for chioggia if available for stripe effect.
Method
Roasting Beets
- Preheat oven to 195°C (385°F). Wrap each beet individually in foil. Roast on middle rack about 1 hour 10 minutes until tender when pierced. Let cool slightly. Peel skins off, slice about 4 mm (1/6 inch) thick. Reserve.
- Combine flour and salt in food processor. Add cold butter cubes, pulse briefly until butter peas-sized. Gradually add iced water, pulse until dough just comes together. If too dry, add water sparingly by teaspoon. Remove dough, form into disc.
- On floured surface, roll dough to fit 24 cm (9 1/2 in) removable tart pan. Gently press dough into pan. Chill in fridge 25 minutes.
- Place rack on lower third of oven. Mix 85 g (3/4 cup) feta, cream, eggs, and mint in bowl. Season with pepper and small amount of salt.
- Pour custard into chilled crust. Arrange beet slices on top in alternating pattern, overlapping slightly to form a design. Sprinkle remaining feta over beets.
- Bake 40-50 minutes until filling is set and crust is golden. Remove. Cool 10 minutes before slicing.
- Serve warm or room temp.
Preparing Dough
Assembly
Technique Tips
Wrap beets tightly. You want them hot enough to cook through without drying or burning. Watch time, vary depending on beet size. Use foil to keep moisture in. Cool partially before peeling, skins slip off with gentle rub. Dough mixing fast to keep butter bits intact. Water just enough for dough to hold but not sticky. Chill dough to rest gluten and chill butter again before baking to prevent shrinking. Bake tart on lower rack to brown crust bottom crisply without burning custard on top. Arrange beet slices over topping in pattern quickly before custard thickens. Bake uncovered, watch firmness, should jiggle slightly but not liquidy. Rest to set cream custard perfectly.
Chef's Notes
- 💡 When roasting beets, tightly wrap each in foil. Keeps moisture in. Watch the time. Size affects cooking. Bigger beets take longer. Check tenderness before removing.
- 💡 For the crust, cold butter is key. Helps keep the pastry flaky. Cut into cubes. Use less flour for tenderness. Iced water prevents butter from melting.
- 💡 Chill the dough after mixing. Resting helps. Keeps the butter cold. Roll on a floured surface for non-stick. Shape quickly to avoid warming up the dough.
- 💡 Use fresh mint for filling. Adds a bright flavor. Feta brings saltiness. Adjust amounts as desired. Season filling well. Too little can make it bland.
- 💡 Bake on lower rack. Even heat ensures crust browns but custard sets right. Keep an eye on color. Should jiggle slightly when done. Let cool before slicing.
Kitchen Wisdom
How do I store the tart?
Refrigerate leftovers. Will last up to three days. Can reheat in the oven. Use low heat to avoid drying.
Can I use different herbs?
Yes, chives would work. Or parsley. Each adds its flavor. Experiment but keep balance with feta.
What if the crust shrinks?
Chill dough properly. Don’t overwork it. If it does shrink, press back down gently after baking.
Can I replace beets?
Other vegetables might work. Roasted sweet potatoes, zucchini. Texture will differ. Adjust cooking times as needed.
