Springtime brings back to the table a huge variety of seasonal fresh fruit and vegetables that are usually not available during wintertime (or well, most of the times they’re available anyway but don’t really taste as good as they do when they’re in season). As well as some excitement. And a long list of bakes. And…rainbow chard. One of my favourite spring vegetables.
I still remember the very first time I tasted rainbow chard, it was such a wonderful discovery. This colourful variety is not that common in Italy and I saw it for the first time on a stall in Borough Market in London a few years ago. I asked the man at the counter how to cook it and I bought some to try.
The taste, very similar to spinach, but with some bitter notes, makes it absolutely unique. It’s delicious both boiled, pan fried, raw chopped in salads…you name it. In addition, thanks to its vibrant and colourful stalks, it makes any dish a feast for the eye as well.
Perfect for a savoury tart.
Savoury tarts (torte salate) are a super-classic Italian homemade food. I don’t think I have ever seen any ready-made ones in supermarkets. They’re so easy and quick to make that everyone bakes their own version at home, and you can literally put anything you like in them. They’re a classic party bake.
Spinach is quite a common filling, and the combination of spinach and mushroom is a classic too. But, as I went to my local market last Saturday and I couldn’t help myself and bought a lot of chard, I decided to use it in place of spinach for my recipe. As for the mushroom, I went for some meaty shiitake, chopped to lardon size and marinated with liquid smoke and smoky paprika. Last but not least, although many people – including my mum – use puff pastry to make their tarts, I went for the richness and melt-in-the-mouth feel of buttery shortcrust pastry.
The result is a rich and, at the same time, incredibly light tart. The balance between the smoky notes of the mushrooms, the sweetness of the chard leaves and the light bitterness that comes from the stalks is quite unique. A touch of mustard simply lifts everything and makes it even more fragrant.
A simple – but packed with flavour – vegetarian tart, in celebration of spring.
Delicious (and success guaranteed).
Looking for some savoury inspiration? Make everyone happy with a classic crowd-pleaser, a light and aromatic garlic oil and fresh thyme potato focaccia or try these deliciously buttery and satisfying mortadella mousse and pistachio mini tartlets.
Makes one 20-cm tart
Ingredients
FOR THE SHORTCRUST PASTRY
- 250g plain flour
- 25g cornflour
- 150g unsalted butter (cold)
- 4g salt
- 50g egg, beaten (about 1 large egg)
- 1 tbsp cold water (if needed, in case the dough is too dry)
FOR THE FILLING
- 200g meaty mushrooms (such as shiitake or oyster)
- 2.5g smoked paprika (about 1 tsp)
- 50ml liquid smoke (about 3 tbsp, optional)
- 50ml extra virgin olive oil (about 3 tbsp)
- 15g unsalted butter (about 1tbsp)
- 400g rainbow chard
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 120g double cream
- 100g crème fraiche
- 100g egg (about 2 eggs)
- 30g English mustard (about 2 tbsp)
- salt and pepper, to season
Method
MAKE THE SHORTCRUST PASTRY
Note: ideally the pastry should rest in the fridge overnight. If you don’t have time, make sure you refrigerate it for at least 2 hours before baking it.
- Sift the flour and cornflour into a medium sized bowl. Chop the cold butter into 1cm sized cubes and add to the bowl with the flour. Working fast, rub the butter into the flour using your fingertips, until you get a crumbly consistency. Alternatively, you can use a food processor and blitz the flour and butter for a few seconds until fine crumbs form. Dissolve the salt into the beaten egg and add to the flour and butter. Mix with a wooden spoon or blitz for a few seconds until the dough just comes together. Transfer to a work surface, bring together with your hands for a few seconds. Flatten the pastry to get a rough disc, wrap in cling film and refrigerate overnight.
BAKE THE TART CASE
- Heat the oven to 190°C, take your pastry out of the fridge and set aside to come to room temperature. In the meanwhile, clean the mushrooms with a wet cloth and discard any though stem parts. Carefully dice them to about 1cm size. Transfer the diced mushrooms into a bowl, add 30ml (2 tbsp) of the liquid smoke (optional) and the paprika, and leave to marinate for 30 minutes (if you are not using the liquid smoke, add more paprika). In the meanwhile, wash and clean the rainbow chard. Cut the colourful stems off, chop them to 5cm pieces and set aside. Cut the large leaves in half lengthways, then roughly chops in medium sized pieces. Set aside.
- Take your tart tin and rub a little butter around the inside of the tin to grease it, then coat with flour. Unwrap your pastry and dust your work surface with flour. Flour also the top of the pastry and roll to a 5mm thickness. Make sure the pastry is not too cold, otherwise it will crack when you roll it. Roll the pastry around the rolling pin and unroll it over the tart tin. Carefully make the pastry adhere to the bottom and sides, using an extra piece of pastry to thoroughly press it down so that it adheres to the edges. Line the pastry with a disc of baking parchment, pour some dried beans or pulses to cover (or baking beans if you have them) and blind bake for 17 minutes. Remove the beans and baking parchment and bake for a further 3 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool. Lower the oven to 170°C.
MAKE THE FILLING
- While the tart case bakes, make the filling. Heat a large pan over a high heat and pour 30ml (2 tbsp) of olive oil in the pan. When the oil is hot, add the mushrooms and fry for about 5 minutes, stirring a couple of times. After 5 minutes, pour the remaining liquid smoke (20ml or 1 tbsp, if using), add the butter and a good pinch of salt and pepper to your liking, and continue to cook for another 3 minutes, or until browned and cooked through. Avoid tossing the mushrooms around too much, or they will go watery (particularly if you use chestnut or white mushrooms, as they contain more water). Transfer the mushroom into a bowl and put the pan back on the stove.
- Without cleaning the pan, add ½ tbsp olive oil and lower the heat to medium. Add the chard stems and the garlic cloves to the pan and stir fry for about 6 minutes. Add a splash of water, season with salt and pepper and cook for another 2 minutes, until they’re soft but still retaining some bite. Transfer the stems to a bowl and set aside but leave the garlic cloves in the pan. Add the remaining olive oil to the pan alongside the chopped chard leaves. Cover with a lid and let them cook for a couple of minutes until they start to wilt. Remove the lid and continue to stir fry for about 8 minutes until cooked through. Towards the end, season with a pinch of salt and pepper to your liking. Set aside.
FINISH AND BAKE THE TART
- Add the crème fraiche to a medium bowl and lightly beat it to loosen it up. Add the double cream, eggs, 15g (1 tbsp) mustard, a pinch of salt and pepper and whisk to combine. With a brush, spread the remaining mustard all over the bottom of the tart case. Spread the cooked chard leaves all over the surface, top with the smoky mushrooms and in the end pour the cream and egg mixture all over to fill up the tart case. Top with the chard stems, arranging them in a nice pattern of shapes and colours, or simply scattering them all over the tart. Transfer the tart to the oven and bake for 40 minutes, turning it 180° half-way through the baking.
- After 40 minutes, check that the filling is cooked through by inserting a small skewer right in the middle of the tart. If it comes out clean, the tart is done. Remove from the oven and leave to cool in the tin for at least 15 minutes before unmoulding and serving.
Note: at this stage, you can also let the tart cool down completely and then keep it in the fridge until you’re ready to serve it. Best served warm (but equally delicious at room temperature).