Beet Greens Tart

I really love tarts. I even more love galettes, Tart's rustic cousin (why haven't I posted a galette yet? This must be remedied). Another thing I love? Using up ingredients in the fridge. That's where the beet greens come in.

 Yes, you make some beets, maybe a risotto, maybe a slaw, I dunno. Then those greens sit there in the vegetable bin, limply whispering, make us. Please, don't let us wilt here. And you (me) think, Oh yes, I really do want to make you! But steaming them, or stir-frying them, is quite lovely with a bit of garlic and olive oil, but it gets old fast, huh? Especially when this is the routine most of the time, for chard greens, or kale, or collards, or, spinach, or turnip greens.

 Maybe it's just me. Maybe I eat a freakish amount of dark leafy greens (I do. Iron!). But anyhow, this recipe is perfect for doing something new, something delicious, something not just side-dish with your greens, limply whispering or otherwise.

You blend the greens into a lovely froth with some eggs, and milk, and broth, to make a custard type filling. Then all you have to do is pour it into the cornmeal crust, and pop in the oven. Makes for a mighty happy meal. Experiment with any greens you see fit to unearth from your vegetable drawer.

Beet Greens Tart
makes 1 medium tart

adapted from 101 Cookbooks

for Cornmeal Tart Shell
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup medium coarse corn meal
1/2 tsp salt
1 stick (8 tbsp) chilled unsalted butter, cut in cubes
1 large egg yolk
1/4 cup cold water

for Turnip Green Filling
1/4 lb. beet greens, or or any other green you want
2 cloves garlic
2 large eggs + 1 yolk
3/4 cup veg. broth
1/4 cup milk
scant 1/4 tsp salt
2 tsps Dijon mustard
1 1/2 tsps herbs de Provence (mix of dried thyme, basil, rosemary, sage, fennel)
hard cheese (like gruyere) and crushed red pepper flakes, for topping (opt.)

Make tart dough. Combine flour, cornmeal, and salt in food processor. Pulse in butter, 20+ pulses, or until the mixture is pebbly. Add the egg yolk and water. Pulse, trickle in more water if needed, just until dough comes together. Turn out onto a piece of plastic wrap and gather into a ball. Press into a disk and chill n the fridge for at least an hour.

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Place a rack in the middle of the oven. Tart pan can be between 9x9 or 8x11, or 9 inch round.

When you're ready to line the tart pans with dough, open the plastic wrap and roll out until the dough is large enough to line your tart pan, around 1/6-1/8 inch thick. Transfer the dough to the greased pan. Don't worry too much if you get a tear or hole, you can patch those up later with scraps. Work quickly to ease the dough into place, taking care not to stretch the dough. Press it along the bottom of the pan, out to the walls, and against the sides. Trim any excess dough.

Partially bake the tart shell before filling it: dock it with a fork, making small holes along the bottom of the shell. Bake for 25 minutes. You can fill it with pie weights to prevent bubbles, or just keep an eye on it and press any out if they come up. Remove from oven and let cool completely.

To make the filling: Chop the greens and garlic in a food processor. Add the eggs and yolk, pulse. Then the broth and milk. Lastly, incorporate the salt, mustard, and herbs. Fill the tart shell and sprinkle with a little cheese and a sprinkling of red pepper flakes for some zing. Bake for 30 minutes or so, or until the center is set, and has firmed up to the touch.