Maple Carrot & Parsnip Tart
Thanks to @the_bare_scientist for this tasty dish!
Serves: 6-8 people | Total Prep & Cooking Time: 1hour 45mins | Vegan and Vegetarian friendly.
INGREDIENTS:
(to fit an 8-9 inch fluted tart in)
For the pastry: - 220g of plain flour, plus a little extra for dusting the surface
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1 ½ tbsp dried mixed herbs
- 115g cold dairy-free butter
For the tart filling: - ½ cup or 110g (dry weight) green speckled lentils
- 2 ½ tbsp olive oil
- 1 large shallot (approximately 10cm in length or 60g)
- 3 large cloves garlic
- 2 medium vine tomatoes
- 3 large carrots
- 3 large parsnips
- Sea salt
- Course ground pepper
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- 7g thyme (sprigs included in weight)
- 10g sage (stalks included in weight; approximately 10-12 large leaves)
METHOD: - Weigh out flour and mix with salt and dried mixed herbs in a large mixing bowl
- Add in cold dairy free butter and use a spoon or knife to “cut” the butter into the flour, until reaching a crumb-like consistency
- Form into a rough ball and tip out onto a lean, lightly floured surface. Proceed to roll the dough to incorporate butter well. Roll into a smoother ball and wrap in cling film. Place into the fridge for 20 minutes to chill
- Meanwhile, weigh out and prepare the ingredients for the first part of the pastry’s filling
- Pre-heat the oven to 180°C (fan oven, or mark 6 for gas oven) and place washed vine tomatoes and garlic cloves onto a small baking tray. Evenly coat them with a teaspoon of olive oil and roast for 15 minutes or until they are starting to brown and have softened. Leave the oven on, but you can slightly reduce the heat whilst prepping the next steps
- Add washed lentils to a small pot of boiling water and cook until for approximately 20 minutes on a rolling boil until the lentils are soft
- Once cooked, drain the lentils and leave them to one side in a sieve. Rinse and dry the pot used for the lentils and place back on a medium heat, adding a teaspoon of olive oil
- Roughly chop half a large shallot and quickly sauté for a minute or two, adding in one of tomatoes and two of the garlic cloves, followed by the lentils. (Leave one of the roasted tomatoes and garlic cloves to the side for later use). Leave to cook for a further 2 – 3 minutes, adding in 5 – 6 of the sage leaves, that have been finely chopped. Season the mix with half a teaspoon of salt and half a tablespoon of coarsely ground black pepper, checking for taste and adjusting as required
- Transfer the mix above from step 7 into a blender and blitz into a rough paste. If the mixture is sticking to the sides, scrape back down with a spatula and re-whizz. If a little liquid is required, add a very small drizzle of olive oil or about 10ml cold water as you want as dry a mix as possible, so do not add much liquid at all
- Remove the pastry dough from the fridge and on a clean and lightly floured surface, roll out into a large rough circle, to the approximate thickness of a £1 coin. Very lightly grease the tart tin and using the rolling pin, ease the furthest edge of the dough from you over the rolling pin, gently easing and lifting the dough over the rolling pin towards you to ease it off of the surface. Place the dough over the tart tin, gently manoeuvring into place, using your knuckles to firmly press into the tin grooves. Trim off any excess dough (you can use this dough again to make a few very rustic crackers if you do not wish to discard)
- Pierce the bottom of the pastry case with a fork and place back into the fridge for ten minutes to chill. Make sure the oven if back on 180°C if you reduced the heat earlier. Once the pastry is chilled, use a large enough sheet of scrunched up parchment paper to line the pastry case, adding in baking beans on top of the parchment paper
- Blind bake the pastry case for 15-20 minutes, proceeding to remove beans and parchment and baking for a further 5-8 minutes to further crisp up the pastry and leave to one side once ready
- Whilst the pastry is baking in step 12, wash, then chop off the tops and ends of the carrots and parsnips and peel. Shave long ribbons using either a mandolin or a y-peeler. Use two separate side plates; one for the carrots and one for the parsnips to place ribbons on as you peel
- Take the remaining tomato, garlic clove and other half of shallot and blend into a rough paste with half of the thyme buds. Pour into a small mixing bowl and add in 1 tablespoon of course black pepper, half a tablespoon of salt, 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and ¼ cup of maple syrup. Thoroughly whisk all ingredients together and leave to one side
- Take the lentil and tomato paste prepared earlier and thinly layer over the base of the pastry case. Pat into place with the back of a spoon
- Starting from the middle of the tart, place the carrot and parsnips in an alternating fashion. It is advised to tightly roll a few ribbons first to make it easier to place in the middle. Keep placing the ribbons round and round, packing as tightly as possible until you get to the outer edges. If necessary, you can slot in more ribbons delicately, wherever you see fit
- Using a pastry brush, liberally coat the tart with the maple paste made in step 14, getting into all of the folds as carefully as possible. You want the mixture to really coat the ribbons from top to base
- Bake in the oven on 180°C for 25 – 30 minutes or until the top starts to darken slightly. If you find that when you test the veg by piercing with a fork, and they are slightly too firm for you, either reduce the heat and cook for a little longer or tent the pastry with some foil to cook for a further 5-10 minutes to further soften the veg so that they do not burn
- Whilst the tart is baking, heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil in a small, very well heated frying pan. Fry sage leaves for about 1-2 minutes for garnish
- Once you remove the tart from the oven, leave to rest for 5-10 minutes and garnish with fresh thyme buds and the crispy sage