Straight from The Tropic Manly menu we bring you this delicious savoury tart recipe specially curated by Exec Chef Francois Poulard. In an epic balance of flavours, Francois pairs the sweetness and acidity of pickled beetroot with our creamy Stracciatella encased within a buttery brittle tart shell. Read on for his step-by-step method for each component. (Note the pickle and relish elements can be made way ahead of time!) This is a seriously WOW starter for any dinner party menu.
First prepare the Beetroot Relish. Place all ingredients in a pot, cover and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and cook for another 30 minutes stirring regularly. Remove the lid and keep cooking until the liquid is fully evaporated, stirring regularly. Store in a glass jar or airtight container. Once cooled to room temperature, store in the fridge until ready to assemble. (The relish can be stored this way for several weeks.)
Now prepare the Pickled Beetroot. Place the prepared beetroot in a medium saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to the boil over medium heat and cook for 30 minutes or until just tender. Strain and peel the beetroot using a cloth (we recommend wearing gloves). Place all remaining ingredients in a pot and bring to the boil to dissolve the caster sugar. Allow to cool slightly and pour over the baby beetroots. Store in an airtight container or jar in the fridge until ready to assemble. (The pickled beetroot can also be stored this way for several weeks.)
Finally it’s time to prepare the shortcrust pastry. We recommend making this the day of serving in order to achieve the best result. In a food processor, combine flour, butter and sea salt until fine crumbs form. Add the egg yolk and cold water, and process until the mixture just forms a dough (roughly 5 seconds). Turn the pastry onto a lightly floured surface and lightly knead with the heel of your hand until the pastry comes together. Form pastry into a disk, wrap in baking paper and refrigerate until chilled (minimum 2-3 hours).
Roll pastry, using a rolling pin, on a lightly floured surface to 3mm thick. Remove excess flour with a pastry brush, then roll pastry backward over the rolling pin to lift it and line a 14cm round tart case. Cut excess pastry away from the edge of the tart case and refrigerate for 30 minutes to rest. Preheat the oven to 200C fan forced. Line the tart with a piece of baking paper and fill with dried beans or baking weights. Blind bake the pastry until golden brown. Cool down on a rack.
To assemble, fill the bottom of each tart shell with a thin layer of beetroot relish. Add a generous amount of Stracciatella on top of it. Arrange some pickled beetroots, thin slices of pears, toasted pine nuts and fresh tarragon to finish. Serve immediately.
