Vegetarian mains
Swiss chard and onion tart
This recipe is not set in stone – consider it a canvas for experimentation: try a few chopped anchovies or some mushrooms sautéed with thyme; exchange some of the chard for beetroot tops, spinach or watercress. You could even crack a couple of eggs on top before baking.
Ingredients
for the shortcrust pastry
- 175g plain flour
- 1 tsp caster sugar
- pinch salt
- 125g cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
- about 3 tbsp cold water
for the filling
- 50g butter
- 3 small onions, finely sliced
- leaves from 1 sprig thyme
- 300g Swiss chard
- 10 olives, chopped
- ½ tbsp Parmesan or vegetarian alternative, grated
- 3-4 tbsp crème fraîche
Method
main
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Step 1
Preheat oven to 200°C/Gas 6.
Make the pastry
-
Step 1
Put the flour, sugar and salt in a food processor and process briefly to mix. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
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Step 2
Transfer to a bowl and stir in enough water to make a dough. Wrap in cling film and chill for at least 30 minutes.
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Step 3
Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface into a rough circle (or actually any shape - this tart is very rustic, so the less uniform, the better).
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Step 4
Place on a baking sheet, prick with a fork in several places and chill for 15 minutes. Bake for 10-15 minutes, until golden brown.
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Step 5
Reduce the oven temperatire to 190°C/Gas 5.
Make the filling
-
Step 1
Heat the butter in a pan, add the onions and thyme and cook gently for about 10 minutes, until soft but not coloured.
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Step 2
Meanwhile, separate the chard stalks from the leaves and chop both leaves and stalks roughly, keeping them separate.
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Step 3
Add the stalks to a pan of boiling salted water and cook for 2-3 minutes, until tender. Remove the stalks with a slotted spoon and set aside.
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Step 4
Add the leaves to the boiling water and blanch briefly. Drain well, refresh under a cold tap and then squeeze to remove as much water as possible.
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Step 5
Add the chard stalks and leaves to the onions and reheat gently. Season to taste and mix well.
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Step 6
Spread the mixture over the pastry base and sprinkle with the chopped olives, Parmesan and a few blobs of crème fraîche.
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Step 7
Bake in the oven for about 15 minutes, until lightly browned.