Beetroot, red onion and goat’s cheese tart

I’ve got my wonderful mum to thank for this dish. She created a version of it for a family barbecue. One taste and I was hooked! I’ve rejigged it a bit, but the fundamentals are the same.

INGREDIENTS

olive oil, for cooking

1 large red onion, thinly sliced

1 tablespoon honey

1 sprig fresh thyme leaves

flour, for dusting

1 large sheet ready-made puff pastry

1 egg, lightly beaten

4 large beetroot, cooked and diced

150g goat’s cheese

50g pine nuts

METHOD

Heat a little olive oil in a pan. Add the red onion and cook for 4–5 minutes, or until softened. Add the honey and thyme and continue to cook until the onion takes on a caramelised appearance.

Preheat the oven to 200°C. Lightly flour a clean work surface and roll out the pastry. Place a large plate on top and cut around it to make a 25 cm diameter circle. With a sharp knife, score another smaller circle about 1.5 cm inside the edge, without cutting all the way through, using a smaller plate as a template if you like. Prick with a fork, leaving the rim intact. Brush the rim with beaten egg.

Put the pastry on a baking sheet and bake in the oven for 10–15 minutes, or until golden. Allow to cool slightly before pressing down gently on the inner circle to push it down and form a rim around the edge. Fill the hole with the onions right up to the edge. Sprinkle the diced beetroot over the onion layer. Finally, crumble the cheese over the top, followed by the pine nuts. Return to the oven for around 10 minutes, or until the cheese is golden brown around the edges. Serve immediately – it’s great with a green salad.

GOOD FOR

Joints & bones: Rickets

Heart & circulation: High blood pressure

Digestive system: Constipation

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