Chard tart
July 6, 2012 • Category: Main Dish
I have found myself in Lebanon in times when a war was raging (many times); the latest crisis occurred 36 hours ago when the internet was cut off in the entire country for two full days. I mean, can anything be worse than that for a blogger?
When I called the internet provider, the lady who answered told me: ” Madam, we are still not getting electricity in Lebanon full-time, why are you worried about the internet?”.
Apparently eight countries in the region were affected by a damaged cable somewhere in the Mediterranean off the coast of Egypt.
Internet is back on an off/on basis for a few days until the cable gets fully repaired.
Now this tart is comforting when everything else is not. You can make the crust the day before, and assemble it in minutes when ready.
INGREDIENTS: 12 servings
Crust:
• 3 cups of AP flour
• 1 tsp of baking powder
• 1/2 tsp of salt
• 11/2 stick of butter (200g/ or 6 oz)
• 1 large egg
• 6 tbsp of whipping cream (or more as needed)
Filling:
• 4 cups of blanched, shredded Swiss chard (drained very well)
• 1 1/2 cups of chopped white or yellow onion
• 3 tbsp of butter
• 1/2 tsp of grated nutmeg
• salt, pepper, to taste
• 1 cup of crumbled Feta cheese
• 1/2 cup of grated Parmesan
• 8 large eggs
• 2 cups of milk or whipping cream
METHOD:
1. Place the flour in the bowl of a food processor along with the salt and baking powder; run the machine a few seconds to combine the ingredients well. Cut the butter into small dice and place in the flour mixture; mix for 30 seconds or so, until the butter is no longer visible; add the egg and mix and pour the cream in a slow stream adding more as needed for the dough to start forming clumps; Stop the machine and gather the dough into a large piece of plastic. Refrigerate for one hour or overnight (or freeze for a couple of weeks).
2. Roll out the dough and line a large 12 inch tart pan with it (previously greased and floured); place a large piece of foil on the tart and fill with beans. Preheat the oven to 375F and bake the empty shell for 20 minutes or until the crust is dry and crisp. Cool a few minutes or overnight.
3. Wash the chard well and remove the stalks and set aside (for another recipe). Pour 8 cups of water into a pot, drop a large pinch of salt into it and when boiling drop the chard in the water for 15 seconds; remove and drain well, pressing on it to extract the water. Shred the chard and set aside.
5. Place the eggs, cream (or milk), nutmeg and salt and pepper and feta and parmesan cheese over the onions; mix well to combine. Add the shredded chard and combine. Pour into the pie pan or small tartlet pans and bake in a preheated oven at 375F for 20 minutes or until the top is golden and puffed up. Cool a bit and serve.
View of the valley in the Shouf mountains
Comments
12 Comments • Comments Feed
Belinda @zomppa says:
Oh boy! We don’t know how dependent we are til we don’t have it. Glad that you got this in!
On July 6, 2012 at 6:17 am
DEVAKI says:
Joumana dear – So sorry to hear you have no internet but I imagine not having electricity is much worse…but for a blogger…fish out of water 🙂 And yet you conjured up the most marvelous tart. Your rustic pics are the best and I envy how fresh and spring green your swiss chard leaves are.
I would love love love one of these for breakfast which is just now!
chow 🙂 Devaki @ weavethousandflavors
On July 6, 2012 at 6:56 am
Rosa says:
Oh, poor you! I’m experiencing problems with my computer…
That savory tart looks wonderful!
Cheers,
Rosa
On July 6, 2012 at 7:13 am
Tom @ TallClover says:
Joumana, your post is both a fine recipe for food and perspective. So often we take for granted what we so have, and grouse about the little things we don’t. Granted the Internet is a top priority in my house 😉 . Stay safe and keep bringing us these treats from the Middle East. While I don’t have chard in the garden, I do have kale galore, and some goat cheese. I don’t think a couple substitutions will matter at all. Something a little different. Eager to try your crust recipe, too.
On July 6, 2012 at 8:06 am
deana@lostpastrememb says:
I think you live in paradise, bad internet or no. Wonderful recipe too. We don’t do enough with chard!!
On July 6, 2012 at 1:38 pm
Joumana says:
@Deana: I think you are right! Hey, come visit!!!!
On July 6, 2012 at 2:19 pm
Inka says:
very nice dish 🙂 i like your pictures 🙂
On July 6, 2012 at 11:50 pm
Elena says:
Joumana, wonderful tart! And so tasty!
I make same with lot of young beetroot leafs and Feta cheese too.
http://s61.radikal.ru/i173/1207/c3/fd19fab14e08.jpg
And if you can find wild mallow plant’s leaves- it’s interesting substitute too.
On July 6, 2012 at 11:56 pm
Joumana says:
@Elena: great ideas! I find wild mallow leaves here and there is a Bedouin woman who sells them in the street every so often; there are also wild sorrel leaves in my friend’s garden.
On July 7, 2012 at 2:08 am
Joan Nova says:
As I sit with my laptop in air-conditioning and with the TV blasting, it was a startling re-awakening to read that you are faced with close by wars (many times). But then you have chard and wild sorrel leaves available for the picking. Your photos are very attractive and I could that pie every day!
On July 7, 2012 at 7:02 am
Alaiyo Kiasi says:
What an amazing narrative for this recipe. It’s one I won’t forget reading anytime soon. The photo of the man picking chard, which seems to be growing out of rocky soil, tugged at my heart. Chard is my favorite green vegetable of late. I can’t wait for late July so I can plant some for my fall garden.
Best,
Alaiyo
On July 7, 2012 at 9:17 am
Oui, Chef says:
I am such a sucker for chards that I just know I would love this dish. Love how you made them as individual tarts too.
On July 9, 2012 at 2:02 pm