Pair this pretty, savory beet tart with something zesty, like a crisp, mineral-driven, Grüner Veltliner or a South African unoaked Sauvignon Blanc.
Our pick: Snowbirds Vintners 2016 Grüner Veltliner, from Lake Chelan AVA in Washington State.
Pickled Beet and Goat Cheese Tarts with Candied Walnuts
By Teeny Lamothe
MAKES: 2 TARTS (SERVES 4 TO 6 EACH)
- 1⁄4 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1⁄4 cup granulated sugar
- 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup shelled walnuts
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup thinly sliced white or yellow onion
- 2 cups sliced Pickled Beets (Pickled Beets Recipe)
- 4 ounces goat cheese
- 1 disk dough (Whole Wheat Crust)
- Up to 1⁄4 cup all-purpose flour, for rolling out the crust
Preheat the oven to 400°F with a rack in the middle position. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil.
Whisk together the sugars and salt in a medium bowl. Add 2 tablespoons water and whisk until smooth. Add the walnuts and stir until they are evenly coated in the sugar. Spread the walnuts on one prepared baking sheet and bake until the sugar begins to caramelize and brown, about 20 minutes.
Set aside and let them cool.
Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until it is caramelized and a deep golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes. Set aside to cool.
Prepare the crusts: Dust a second large baking sheet with flour. Divide the dough into two equal pieces and form each into a 1-inch-thick disk. On a floured surface using a floured rolling pin, roll one disk out into a rough 12-inch circle about 1⁄8 inch thick; place it toward one end of the prepared baking sheet. Roll out the second dough disk in the same fashion and place it next to the first on the baking sheet. (Don’t worry if the circles overlap slightly; there will be enough room for both tarts once they are formed.)
Arrange 1 cup of the pickled beets in the middle of the first crust circle, leaving a 1-inch edge all around. Scatter half of the caramelized onions over the beets and crumble 2 ounces of the goat cheese on top of the onions.
Starting on one side, fold the edge of the crust up and over the edge of the filling. Make your way around the circle, folding up the extra crust and pleating it as you go. The crust should not meet in the center; the edges just have to be tucked up toward it. The look you’re going for by the end is called a galette, or a very rustic tart.
Repeat filling, topping, and folding with the remaining beets, onions, goat cheese, and crust.
Bake the tarts until the crust is golden brown and the top of the goat cheese has started to brown, 30 to 40 minutes. Top the tarts with the candied walnuts and serve warm.
Go to the Pickled Beets Recipe here.
Excerpted with permission from Teeny’s Tour of Pies by Teeny Lamothe , courtesy Workman Publishing