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Beetroot & goat's cheese tart
85g (3 oz) white plain flour
85g (3 oz) wholemeal plain flour
85g (3 oz) butter
75-90 ml (5-6 tbsp) cold water
15 ml (1 tbsp) olive oil
2 medium raw beetroot (about 280g/10oz)1 large onion
1tbsp Balsamic vinegar
175g (6 oz) goat’s cheese
4 eggs
150ml (¼ pt) milk
150ml (¼ pt) double cream
1 tbsp chopped parsley
Salt and pepper
How to make it…
For the Traditional AGA, place an AGA cast iron or cast aluminium frying pan on the floor of the Roasting Oven to pre-heat whilst preparing the pastry. In a large bowl rub the fat into the flours until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add the water and mix to a firm dough. Roll-out the pastry and use to line a 23cm (9”) Aga fluted flan dish or flan tin.
Peel the beetroot and cut into 1cm/½” dice and peel and finely chop the onion. Place the pre-heated frying pan on the Boiling Plate or medium heat and add the olive oil and the beetroot, stirring well. Return the pan to the floor of the Roasting Oven for the Traditional AGA or medium heat and cook for 10 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the beetroot is beginning to soften.
Now add the onion and return the pan to the oven or medium heat for a further 10 minutes, stirring after a few minutes. Allow to cool a little then stir-in the Balsamic vinegar.
Spread half the cooked onion and beetroot mixture over the base of the pastry case and sprinkle with the chopped goat’s cheese. Top with the remaining onion and beetroot. Stir the milk and cream into the beaten eggs, add some seasoning and the chopped parsley then pour into the pastry case and give a gentle shake so everything settles.
2, 3, 4 and 5 Oven AGA: Cook on the floor of the Roasting Oven with the cold plain shelf on the 4th set of runners, for 30-40 minutes until golden brown. Use the Floor Grid for the AGA Total Control, AGA 60, AGA 3 Series and AGA eR7. Turn the tart once, if necessary, to ensure even browning and slide-in the cold Plain Shelf if the tart begins to brown too quickly. Serve warm or cold.
Conventional oven: Before filling the pastry case, line it with greaseproof paper and baking beans or rice. Bake at 200°C/Gas 6 for about 15 minutes until the pastry is beginning to brown. Remove the greaseproof paper and beans or rice then reduce the oven temperature to 160°C/Gas 3. Now fill the pastry case as above and return to the oven. Bake for about 25-30 minutes until golden brown. Serve warm or cold.
