Low Fat Savory Carrot Tart Food

ROASTED CARROT TART

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• On a gently floured piece of parchment paper, roll out the chilled Pie Dough to a circle about 15 to 16 inches in diameter. Trim it to form an even 14-inch circle. Invert a sheet pan so the flat, bottom side is facing up. Lifting the parchment paper to lift the tart dough, transfer it to the sheet pan. Wrap the pan tightly with plastic wrap, and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes and up to 3 days.
• In a small bowl, combine the softened chevre, egg yolk, heavy cream, 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper, and stir until smooth. Set aside.
• Cut the carrots, diagonally, into chunks about 2 to 3 inches in length and no wider than 1 inch, and transfer to a large bowl. Slice each onion half into 1/2-inch wide fans and add to the bowl. Toss the vegetables with the olive oil, 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper, and set aside.
• Remove the tart dough from the refrigerator, and using the back of a spoon or a spatula, spread the cheese mixture onto the dough, leaving a 1-inch border around the edges. Use your fingers to gently crimp the edges of the dough, creating a pleated freeform crust. Arrange the vegetables in the middle of the tart, making sure they are in one even layer that covers the cheese mixture beneath.
• In a small bowl, lightly beat the egg white with a fork. Brush the tart edges with the beaten egg white and sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon sea salt. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until the vegetables are deeply caramelized and the crust is a rich golden color, rotating the pan halfway through.
• Remove the tart from the oven and let it cool slightly. Place the chicory leaves in a medium bowl, drizzle with the lemon juice, and toss gently. Sprinkle the herbs over the tart and arrange the chicory leaves on top, leaving a bit of the tart edges peeking through. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon sea salt and serve.
• Place the flour, sugar and salt in the bowl of a food processor, and pulse once or twice to combine. Add the butter and pulse twice more, until the butter is in medium-sized pieces. Steadily pour the ice water into the machine while pulsing it as quickly as you can, until the butter is still visible in large smears and the dough is pushing up the sides of the bowl. It should look like damp bread crumbs. (You may not need to add all the water.)
• Scrape the dough into a large bowl, cover, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. (The dough will continue to hydrate, but if it still feels powdery and dry, wet your fingertips and flick a little cold water onto the crumbs.) After 1 hour, gently press the dough into a disc and wrap in plastic wrap. Chill for at least 1 hour more before rolling out.

CARROT TART WITH RICOTTA AND FETA

Steps:

• Heat oven to 425 degrees. On a lightly floured surface, roll puff pastry into a 10-by-14-inch rectangle. Using a paring knife, lightly score a border around the perimeter of the puff pastry about a 1/4-inch away from the edges. Place puff pastry on a parchment-lined baking sheet and prick the pastry inside the border using a fork to prevent puffing in the center. Bake on top rack until puff pastry is lightly golden, about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly.
• Meanwhile, toss carrots with 1 tablespoon oil, season generously with salt and pepper and spread into a single layer on a baking sheet. Roast carrots on the bottom rack (underneath the puff pastry) until the edges are golden brown and carrots are still crisp-tender, 15 to 20 minutes.
• While puff pastry and carrots are in the oven, blend ricotta, feta and garlic in a food processor until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
• Spread the cheese mixture onto the puff pastry up to the border and arrange the carrots in a single layer on top. Bake until the carrots are tender and the edges of the cheese mixture are golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with herbs before serving.

CARROT PIE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Press the pie crust into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch pie plate.
• Bake the pie shell for 3 to 5 minutes, just to firm it up, then remove from the oven, and set aside. Place carrots in a saucepan with enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, and cook until tender, about 10 minutes. Drain water, and mash carrots until smooth using a food processor, or potato ricer.
• In a medium bowl, mix together the carrot puree, sugar and eggs. Mix in the cinnamon and vanilla. Gradually stir in the milk. Pour the mixture into the partially baked pie shell.
• Bake for 10 minutes in the preheated oven, then reduce heat to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Bake for an additional 40 to 45 minutes at the lower temperature, or until firm. Cool completely before serving.

RUSSIAN CARROT TART

Steps:

• Saute the onions with a little salt in the butter in a large skillet over medium heat until tender.
• Add the carrots and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cover the skillet.
• Cook, stirring occasionally, until carrots are tender.
• Uncover and stir in flour.
• Preheat oven to 375.
• Beat the cheese and egg in a bowl.
• Stir in the carrot mixture, black pepper, and dill.
• Spread the mixture in an 8-inch pie crust (the book recommends a nut crust -- I've posted the recipe as Crunchy Nut Pie Pastry).
• Bake for 15 minutes, lower heat to 350 and bake for 30 minutes longer.
• Let stand 5 minutes before cutting.

LOW-FAT SAVORY CARROT TART

Steps:

• 1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
• 2. To prepare crust: Lightly coat a 9- to 10-inch tart pan with oil. Place all-purpose flour, whole-wheat flour, tarragon and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a food processor; pulse to combine. Add butter one piece at a time, pulsing once or twice after each addition, until incorporated. Add 1/4 cup oil and 1/4 cup yogurt and pulse just until the dough starts to come together. Transfer the dough to the prepared pan (it will be crumbly), spread evenly and press firmly into the bottom and all the way up the sides to form a crust.
• 3. Bake the crust until set but not browned, about 15 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack.
• 4. To prepare filling: Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in carrots and 1 tablespoon sherry (or rice vinegar) and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat. Spread mustard over the crust. Sprinkle with Cheddar, then evenly spread the carrot mixture in the tart shell.
• 5. Whisk 1/2 cup yogurt, milk, eggs, tarragon, the remaining 1 tablespoon sherry (or rice vinegar), 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Place the tart pan on a baking sheet and pour in the filling. Bake the tart until the filling is firm and the edges are golden brown, 40 to 45 minutes. Let cool for 15 minutes before slicing. Serve warm or chilled.
• * Ingredient note: Sherry is a type of fortified wine originally from southern Spain. Don't use the "cooking sherry" sold in many supermarkets-it can be surprisingly high in sodium. Instead, purchase dry sherry that's sold with other fortified wines in your wine or liquor store.