Beetroot tarte tatin

Method

1. If you haven’t already, cook the beetroot. Roast whole, unpeeled beetroot wrapped in foil at 200°C for 45-60 min, or boil whole and unpeeled in salted water for 30-45 min, until a small knife slides into the centre with no resistance. Cool until they can be handled, then peel (the skins should rub off easily under running water) and cut into wedges about 1.5 cm thick at the widest point. This step can be done up to a day ahead; keep the peeled beetroot covered in the fridge.

2. Heat the oven to 200°C (400°F). Melt the butter in a 24-26 cm ovenproof skillet over medium heat. When it foams, add the beetroot wedges and thyme leaves, season with salt and pepper, and cook for 3-4 min, turning gently once or twice, until the beetroot is warmed through and picking up a little colour at the cut edges.

3. Pour in the balsamic vinegar and honey. Simmer for 2-3 min, stirring and turning the beetroot through the liquid, until it reduces to a thick, glossy syrup that coats every piece. Take the pan off the heat and arrange the wedges in one even, snug layer, cut sides facing up where possible, so the top of the finished tart will look neat once flipped.

4. Lay the cold puff pastry over the pan, letting it drape naturally over the beetroot. Prick it a few times with a fork and tuck the overhang down the inside edge of the pan, against the beetroot, rather than trimming it away. Working quickly keeps the pastry cold, which matters more than a tidy edge at this stage.

5. Transfer to the oven and bake for 25-30 min, until the pastry is deep golden brown, well-risen, and firm rather than soft when you press it lightly in the centre.

6. Remove from the oven and let the tart rest in the pan for 5 min. This short rest lets the syrup settle slightly so it doesn’t run everywhere on flipping. Run a palette knife around the edge to make sure nothing is stuck, lay a plate larger than the pan on top, and invert the pan and plate together in one confident motion. Lift the pan away carefully; if any beetroot has stuck to the base, just lift the pieces off and set them back in place.

7. While the tart is still warm, crumble the goat cheese evenly over the top, scatter with the toasted walnuts and a few extra thyme leaves, and finish with the orange zest if using. Slice into wedges and serve warm, with a green salad on the side.

Notes

• Store leftovers covered in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat gently in a 180°C oven for 8-10 min to recrisp the pastry; the microwave will make it soggy.
• Cooking and peeling the beetroot a day ahead is the single biggest time-saver here, since the rest of the recipe comes together in well under an hour on the day. Roasting concentrates the beetroot’s flavour more than boiling does and is worth the extra time if you have it; boiling is faster and perfectly fine for a weeknight version.
• If you can find both golden and red beetroot, mixing the two makes a genuinely striking tart, the golden wedges holding their colour against the deep red glaze rather than bleeding into it.
• A cast-iron or other heavy ovenproof skillet gives the most even glaze and the cleanest flip; a nonstick ovenproof pan also works well.

Ingredient substitutions

• All-butter puff pastry is the right choice here and worth seeking out specifically: it browns more deeply, tastes richer, and holds distinct, crisp layers in a way that pastry made with vegetable shortening does not. In Germany, refrigerated Blätterteig from the chilled section is usually all-butter by default, so it’s a safe pick without checking the label closely. In the US and Canada, most supermarket puff pastry (Pepperidge Farm being the common brand) is made with vegetable shortening, so look specifically for an all-butter brand such as Dufour if you want the closer result.
• Homemade rough puff pastry is a reasonable middle ground if you’d rather make your own without committing to full classic lamination, which buys you little here since the pastry ends up as a flat lid rather than a laminated, visibly flaky showpiece.
• Whatever pastry you use, it must go onto the pan cold, straight from the fridge (or freezer if it’s gotten too soft while you worked). Warm pastry won’t puff properly in the oven and is more likely to shrink back or slide off the beetroot as it bakes.
• No goat cheese on hand: a soft, tangy feta crumbles similarly and works well in its place. A firmer cheese like a young pecorino, finely grated, is also good if you prefer something milder.

Sources consulted

• The Kitchn: Tomato Tarte Tatin