Beetroot, spinach, feta & walnut tart with zucchini ribbon salad
Tart up your Spring with this beets, spinach, feta & 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 instead of feta, or kale instead of spinach. Serve with a fresh zucchini & pomegranate salad.
Servings: 6 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*save time and make the day beforeSalad: 4 large zucchini 200g feta, cubed 2 avocados, peeled & cubed 50g pine nuts, toasted 50g pumpkin seeds, toasted 3 tbsp pomegranate seeds |
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 agaveDressing: 1 large lemon, juice 1 tbsp white wine vinegar 1 tbsp wholegrain mustard 5 tbsp olive oil 1 garlic clove, crushed 2 tbsp capers, drained 1 tsp salt 1 tsp pepper 1 tbsp mint, chopped |
Method
1. 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.
2. Gather into a ball, wrap in cling film and chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes or overnight.
3. 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).
4. Carefully lay the pastry over the tin and use 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.
5. To make the filling, grate the beetroot using the chunky side of the grater. Set aside between kitchen paper to absorb the liquid.
6. Melt the coconut oil in a large frying pan and soften the onion for 5 minutes. Add garlic and fry for a minute before ad
7. Beat the eggs together with milk then crumble in the feta. Mix in the cooked veg and combine well.
8.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.
Zucchini Salad:
1.Make the zucchini ribbons by feeding them through a spiralizer using the slicing blade or simply use a vegetable peeler (takes a little longer). Put into a large mixing bowl.
2.Add the feta, avocado, and half of the pine nuts, pumpkin seeds & pomegranate seeds.
3.Combine all the dressing ingredients in a separate bowl and drizzle half of this over the salad. Toss thoroughly until fully coated and transfer to a serving dish.
4.Top with the remaining half of pine nuts, pumpkin seeds, pomegranate seeds and drizzle over the remaining dressing. 5.Serve and be sure to save any leftovers for a batch of fritters the next day!
