This upside-down tart is traditionally made with apples, but the use of sweet, caramelized beetroot and tart goat cheese results in a delicious savoury dish. 

Words: Nicola Galloway

INGREDIENTS

4-5 medium-sized beetroots (approximately 800g)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon honey
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
sea salt and cracked pepper

Pastry:
1½ cups white wheat or spelt flour
1 teaspoon fresh thyme, finely chopped
¼ teaspoon salt
100g cold butter, cut into 1cm cubes
2 tablespoons unsweetened natural yoghurt
about 100g goat cheese
thyme sprigs to serve

METHOD

Remove greens from the beetroot (reserve for sautéing — see leafy greens above left). Place whole beetroots into a saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil and simmer for 30 to 40 minutes until just tender. Drain, then rub off the skins and cut into even-sized wedges.

Preheat oven to 190°C. Heat an ovenproof frying pan (about 25cm in diameter) over a moderate heat. In a small jug combine the olive oil, vinegar, honey and mustard and add this to the pan. Once sizzling, add the beetroot wedges, toss them to coat evenly and arrange snugly in the base of the pan. Season, then place in the oven and roast for 15 minutes until sticky and caramelized.

To make the pastry, place the flour, thyme and salt into a food processor and pulse briefly to combine.
Add butter and pulse until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Spoon in the yoghurt and pulse until the mixture forms into pea-sized balls. Tip onto the bench and press into a flat disk. Place in a lidded container and chill for 20 minutes.

Lightly flour the bench and roll the pastry into a circle about 30cm wide and 4mm thick. Carefully lift the pastry over the caramelized beetroot, tucking it in around the sides. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until the pastry is golden.

Carefully flip the tart onto a large serving plate by holding the plate over the pan and flipping over in one quick movement. Scatter with goat cheese and thyme sprigs and serve immediately.

Serves 4

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Read more stories like these in our latest special edition, Sustainability Through the Seasons, a practical guide to living a greener and more environmentally friendly life 365 days of the year.