Boyne Valley Blue and Beetroot Tart

Sheridan's Cheese held their annual Food Festival recently and I spent probably the best Sunday of the year, wandering around in hot sunshine tasting fabulous food from some of the best food producers in the country.

One of my purchases was a big piece of Boyne Valley Blue cheese that when we returned home was put in fridge along with my sister's purchases and which, when she returned to her home she took along with her own.  Eventually when I got it back it had sweated in tinfoil and was a bit the worse for wear.


I decided to make a tart using beetroot I had bought at Sheridans' Farmer's Market held every Saturday at their Meath base.


The recipe uses Spelt flour in the pastry and raw milk buttermilk (I leave raw milk in the fridge to sour naturally to buttermilk).  The buttermilk gives the pastry a very good flaky, short texture and reduces the amount of butter needed. 

Boyne Valley Blue and Beetroot Tart
Pastry Base
150g organic white Spelt flour
60g butter
2 tablespoons of raw milk buttermilk
2 tablespoons (approx) cold water
Pinch salt

Rub softened butter into the flour, stir in the buttermilk and then very gradually add the water.  All flour absorbs different amounts of water, so don't welly it all in at once.  When it forms a cohesive mix, cover and place in fridge to rest for an hour.

Roll out the pastry and line a 23cm/9" fluted pie tin with removable base.  Prick the pastry with a fork. Cover with baking parchment and fill with baking beans.  Place in a hot oven 180 deg C for 10 minutes, turn around and leave another 5-10 minutes and then remove beans and paper and finish off in oven until it is baked and lightly browned. Allow to cool. 

Filling
3 large red onions
knob of butter
sprig fresh thyme
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
pinch of Muscovado sugar
salt and pepper
3 medium beetroot cooked and peeled and sliced thinly
100g of Boyne Valley blue cheese or alternative

While the pastry is resting in the fridge, make the filling.  Soften the onions in butter and add in the thyme, balsamic vinegar and sugar.  Season and allow to really melt down on a low heat.  Remove the thyme and spread over the cooled pastry base. Scatter the sliced beetroot over and then crumble or finely slice the blue cheese liberally.  Place the tart back in the oven to just melt the blue cheese.  Either serve warm or cold.

They can be made into individual tartlets also and served as canapés or as a starter.



















 



Tags: Irish Food  Irish Recipes  St. Patrick's Day Recipe  Boyne Valley Blue  Irish Cheese Recipes