Rainbow Chard & Pine Nut Tart

This is something that I have made and eaten countless times. Although it is relatively simple to make it almost always symbolises for me an occasion of some sort. Which is why I've chosen to share this recipe at this time. It's a great dish to have included in a christmas lunch and it's always enjoyed equally by vegetarians and non-vegetarians alike. I've certainly had my share of this tart at christmas lunches. I never tire of it. My mother is the one that found this recipe in an italian cookbook nearly twenty years ago. This is my adaptation of my mothers adaptation of that recipe. I hope it becomes as much of a part of your families recipe repertoire as it is in ours.

INGREDIENTS

Serves 8

For the Pastry

3 Cups of stoneground organic plain flour or spelt flour

1 Local, organic/biodynamic free range egg

A pinch of good quality sea salt

80g Of expeller pressed virgin coconut butter

100g Of organic butter

4 Tbs of raw, biodynamic or organic milk

For the Filling

1 Bunch of rainbow chard (spinach or silverbeet works just as well)

250 ml Organic cream

100g Of organic, rennet free pecorino, finely grated

Half a nutmeg finely grated

3 local, organic/biodynamic free range eggs

1 Tsp of good quality sea salt

100 g of pine nuts

Directions

Add your flour and a pinch of salt to a bowl and grate in the coconut butter and butter. Rub the butters into the flour with tips of your fingers until it resembles bread crumbs. Add the egg and the milk a tablespoon at a time working the dough until a nice soft ball begins to form. Turn out onto a floured surface and kneed for 30 seconds. Roll out with a rolling pin until it's about 5 - 7.5 mm thick. Roll the pastry around the rolling pin then unroll it onto a greased and floured tart tin thats 30cm in diameter. Press the pastry down and trim the edges by running over the edge with the flat side of a butter knife Cover with a clean tea towel and place in the fridge for a half an hour. 

Often there is a little pastry left over after this step. When there is I put the pastry into a couple of mini pie tins and my daughter fills them with jam to make mini jam tarts.

Meanwhile fill a large bowl with boiling water and place the rainbow chard in it for 30 seconds. Drain and rinse well with cold water. Squeeze out all the excess water and roughly chop. Place in a bowl with all remaining ingredients apart from the pine nuts and stir until well combined.

Pour the mixture into your tart case, top with the pine nuts and place into a preheated oven at 180 degrees celsius for around 45 minutes until nice and golden.

Let it rest in the tin for at least ten minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Enjoy!