Why does the crust crack?

This is normal. To keep the crust crisp and not soggy, it is important to not use too much liquid. If it cracks, simply use a pastry brush to brush flour over the cracks and docking holes. This will prevent the filling from seeping out through the cracks.

Can I use all butter instead of butter and oil in the crust?

You can use all butter, and add 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon. The mixture will be dryer so you will need one to two more tablespoons water to achieve the right texture.

Chard Tart with Goat Cheese and Leeks

Description

This Swiss Chard Tart is a festive vegetarian entree perfect for entertaining and special occasions. The homemade tart crust is filled with sauteed chard, leeks, golden raisins, pine nuts and an easy egg and goat cheese custard.

Ingredients

Units Scale

CRUST

3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, plus 1 to 2 teaspoon for brushing crust

1/2 cup whole-wheat flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold, cut into small pieces

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoons avocado oil or organic canola oil

1/4 cup ice cold water, plus one to two tablespoons more if needed

FILLING

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 small bunches Swiss chard stems and chopped and separated

2 leeks halved, sliced and cleaned

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/2 teaspoon dry thyme

Generous pinch nutmeg

2 tablespoons water

1/4 cup golden raisins

2 tablespoons sliced almonds or pine nuts for garnish

1/2 cup whole milk or half and half

3 eggs

3 ounces fresh goat cheese, crumbled

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Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Coat an 11-inch tart pan with a removable bottom with cooking spray.
Make crust: Process ¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, whole-wheat pastry flour and salt in a food processor. Add butter, and pulse to chop butter into the flour mixture until it resembles meal. Open lid, drizzle on avocado oil, and repeat pulsing until the oil is incorporated into the flour mixture. Open lid and drizzle cold water over the crumbs. Cover and pulse about 15 times, until the mixture is moist and starting to clump together. It will look like small pebbles, but when you squeeze it, it should hold together. If the mixture is very dry, add one to two more tablespoons water.
Pat crumb mixture into the tart pan and press to make evenly thick all over and up sides. Press excess dough out of the corners and up the sides to make the sides thicker. A lightly floured dry measuring cup is useful to make the bottom flat. Press tines of a fork into the pastry down to the pan about 12 times with a fork.
Transfer the tart pan to a baking sheet. Set in oven and bake until the crust is dry and set up and starting to pull from the sides, 13 to 15 minutes. Sprinkle the remaining 1 to 2 teaspoon flour over the tart shell and brush into the fork holes and any cracks.
Make Filling: Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add Swiss chard stems and leeks and cook, stirring often until the leeks are softened and starting to brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in salt, pepper, thyme and nutmeg. Add chopped Swiss chard leaves, 1 handful at a time, cooking and stirring to wilt, until all of the chard leaves are added. Add the 2 tablespoons water, cover and cook until the stems are tender, and the Chard leaves are completely cooked down, about 5 minutes. Add more water as necessary to prevent scorching. If the mixture is too moist, remove lid and allow to evaporate for 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in raisins.
Make custard: Puree eggs and milk and goat cheese in a blender until smooth.
Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Spread the Swiss Chard Filling out over the crust. Pour the Chevre Custard over the filling and garnish with the 2 tablespoons sliced almonds or pine nuts.
Bake the tart on the baking sheet until the shell is browned, the filling is set up, lightly golden and puffed, about 40 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack 10 minutes before removing tart pan sides.

Notes

Tips For Crust

Make sure you spray your tart pan with cooking spray before you begin.

It is also much easier to work with a tart shell in a tart pan (with a removable bottom) when it is on a sheet pan.

Empty the dough mixture into the tart pan. It is okay if it is crumbly. Press it down, and it will start to adhere to itself as you work. Press it evenly across the bottom of the pan and into the corners. Press it up the sides of the pan. Note that this process takes a few minutes but it can be worked into the corners and up the sides.

If the tart cracks in the oven in step 4, that is okay, simply brush the flour into the cracks and docking holes. It will prevent the egg custard from flowing out the holes.

Prep Time: 55 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
Category: Main Course
Method: Oven
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Calories: 600
Sugar: 9 g
Sodium: 483 mg
Fat: 55 g
Saturated Fat: 7 g
Carbohydrates: 44 g
Fiber: 5 g
Protein: 22 g