Beet

Beet Crostata with a Pepper-Parmesan Crust

by:
February 22, 2010
5
1 Ratings
  • Serves 6
Author Notes

I love beets, but don’t get around to cooking them often because my husband hates them. Lucky for me, I had two great excuses to bring beets back into the kitchen - this week’s theme and dinner with my best friend, who loves beets and goat cheese (my husband hates goat cheese even more than beets). This tart wraps the classic combo of beets, goat cheese, and walnuts into a peppery and flaky shell. These savory bites are great as appetizers, a main dish, or even an after-dinner cheese course, especially for non-meat eaters. Don’t worry….my husband didn’t go hungry…he actually does like beet greens! —monkeymom

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • Pepper-Parmesan Crust
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon pepper, freshly ground
  • 2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
  • 1/4 pound cold butter (1 stick), diced
  • 2 tablespoons ice water
  • Beet Filling
  • 1 pound beets (any color/type)
  • 1 garlic bulb
  • extra virgin olive oil
  • goat cheese
  • walnuts, coarsely chopped
  • salt and pepper
  • 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
  • 1 egg, beaten
Directions
  1. Cut greens from beets. Rinse and dry beets. Then wrap in foil. Wrap garlic in foil after drizzling with olive oil. Bake beets and garlic at 350°F for 1 hour. Unwrap and let cool completely.
  2. For crust, put flour, salt, pepper, and parmesan in a food processor bowl fitted with a steel blade. Add the butter and pulse until the butter is the size of peas. With the motor running, add the ice water while pulsing until just before the dough becomes a solid mass. Turn dough onto a floured surface and form into a disk. You can wrap with plastic and refrigerate while you prepare the filling.
  3. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
  4. Reduce balsamic vinegar until it becomes syrupy (reduced to about 1/3). This happens pretty quick. Remove to small bowl.
  5. Remove peel from beets (they should easily slide off. You can peel directly into the foil and discard). Slice beets into rounds and set aside.
  6. Divide dough into 3 equal portions. Roll out one portion to ¼ in thick round about 6-8 inches in diameter. Transfer to a baking sheet.
  7. Cut roasted garlic bulbs cross-wise so each clove is halved. Squeeze out roasted garlic onto dough and spread around leaving a 1 in border. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
  8. Arrange 1/3 of beets slices in a round on top of garlic. Generously tuck goat cheese and walnuts between slices. Sprinkle with salt.
  9. Drizzle with 1/3 of reduced balsamic vinegar. Finely grate a little orange rind evenly on top. Turn and pleat edges over toppings. Drizzle with olive oil.
  10. Brush dough with beaten egg. Bake at 400°F for 20-25 minutes until tops are golden brown. Let cool slightly.
  11. Drizzle with olive oil and serve. A squeeze of orange and/or a sprinkling of parmesan is nice too.
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  • Jennifer Ann
    Jennifer Ann
  • gluttonforlife
    gluttonforlife
  • monkeymom
    monkeymom
  • drbabs
    drbabs
  • TheWimpyVegetarian
    TheWimpyVegetarian
monkeymom

Recipe by: monkeymom

My favorite distraction is to cook. Though science and cooking/baking have a lot in common, I'm finding that each allows me to enjoy very different parts of my life. Cooking connects me with my heritage, my family, friends, and community. I'm really enjoying learning from the food52 community, who expose me to different ingredients and new ways to cook.

14 Reviews

kls January 7, 2016
Have just baked this and found the crust to be very greasy. Tasted great, but dripping oil.
 
Seaside G. June 16, 2013
Interesting personal comments, but I wish people would post reviews after they
actually make the recipe.
 
solmstea April 7, 2010
Wow, this looks beautiful! Going to have to try this. I love crispy cheesy crusts.
 
Jennifer A. March 10, 2010
these are so pretty, and sound delicious! I am going to tuck this away in my recipe box for entertaining soon.
 
Cheryl A. February 28, 2010
Phew, my husband would love this. Adding it to the "must-do" list.
 
gluttonforlife February 26, 2010
I'm thinking there's some sort of Y chromosome issue here, because MY husband hates beets, too! And he's not otherwise a picky eater! Next time, he's away, it's beet crostata for me!
 
monkeymom February 23, 2010
When my husband read through this he said "I eat beet greens, but I didn't say I liked them". So I guess I'm in the same boat as mrslarkin. My husband was very happy that he isn't the only beet-hating guy around!
 
aargersi February 23, 2010
That is hilarious! My husband is a charter member of the beet / feta / goat cheese hating club too ...
 
nannydeb February 23, 2010
Include my husband in that club too...
 
drbabs February 22, 2010
And I thought I was the only one whose husband hated all the foods I like (beets, goat cheese, parmesan, mustard, feta cheese, all greens except spinach, walnuts...the list goes on and on...)

This looks wonderful--I'm spending a few days with my sister next month; maybe I'll make it for her!
 
TheWimpyVegetarian February 22, 2010
Great idea! My husband can't stand beets either. And it's funny because he likes almost everything else. I make a lot of small individual tarts through the year and will definitely make this one. And so beautiful.
 
arielleclementine February 22, 2010
oh i love this! beautiful!
 
kaykay February 22, 2010
You've got the beet! These look beautiful. Magazine-worthy...Looking forward to trying them!
 
mrslarkin February 22, 2010
Your husband sounds like my husband (minus liking the beet greens.) Love your recipe - very inventive! They look like rustic little fruit pies!