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Beetroot, kale and hazelnut quiche

Name: Beetroot, kale and hazelnut quiche recipe
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 1 bunch baby beetroot, trimmed; Butter, for greasing; 1 quantity savoury shortcrust pastry (see link above); 4 eggs, plus 1 extra, to brush; 240g creme fraiche; 180ml milk; 20.00 ml chopped thyme, plus extra to serve; 2 curly kale leaves, tough stems removed, leaves chopped; 150g goat’s cheese; 30g chopped hazelnuts; Small sorrel leaves (optional), to serve

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P86 Beetroot, kale and hazelnut quiche — Ben Dearnley

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by Michael James

May 30, 2023

“We like to bake beetroot skin-on, wrapped in foil. This method gives an even texture and a soft, earthy sweetness. It’s also quite forgiving because you don’t need to be super precise about time or temperature. The hazelnuts marry well with kale and beets, especially in a silky custard filling. The sturdy pastry shell of this quiche makes it a great dish for transporting, too.” – Michael James. You’ll need a 24cm (base), 25cm (top), 3.5cm-deep loose-based tart pan for this recipe. Find the puff pastry recipe here.

1 bunch baby beetroot, trimmed
Butter, for greasing
1 quantity savoury shortcrust pastry (see link above)
4 eggs, plus 1 extra, to brush
240g creme fraiche
3/4 cup (180ml) milk
1 tbs chopped thyme, plus extra, to serve
2 curly kale leaves, tough stems removed, leaves chopped
150g goat’s cheese
30g chopped hazelnuts
Small sorrel leaves (optional), to serve

Method

1.

Preheat oven to 210°C/190°C fan-forced.
2.

Enclose beetroot in foil, place on a baking tray and roast for 30-40 minutes, until slightly soft to touch. Unwrap and set aside to cool.
3.

Lightly grease a 24cm (base), 25cm (top), 3.5cm-deep loose-based tart pan with a little butter.
4.

Meanwhile, place pastry on a lightly floured work surface and roll it out into a 4mm-thick disc. Gently lay pastry over the prepared pan, then use your thumb to press firmly into the base. Trim any excess pastry with a knife, leaving a little pastry overhanging to allow for shrinkage (reserve excess raw pastry). Chill for 1 hour.
5.

Prick base all over with a fork. Line pastry case with foil and baking weights. Bake for 30 minutes, then reduce oven to 180°C/160°C fan-forced. Remove foil and baking weights, and bake for a further 25 minutes, or until golden. Set aside to cool.
6.

Once cool, trim any excess pastry to create a neat edge. Lightly beat the extra egg and brush it onto any cracks in the pastry, using excess raw pastry to plug any holes. Brush the entire tart shell with eggwash and bake for 2-3 minutes, to dry the egg. Remove from the oven. Increase oven to 210°C/190°C fan-forced.
7.

Peel the beetroot and slice into 1.5cm-thick rounds.
8.

Whisk eggs in a large bowl until smooth. Add creme fraiche, milk and thyme. Season with salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper. Whisk until smooth.
9.

Place beetroot over the base of the shell. Add kale (don’t worry if it sits up; any kale sticking out after the custard is poured in will give you lovely crispy bits once baked). Evenly scatter over the goat’s cheese and chopped hazelnuts.
10.

Place tart shell on the top shelf of the oven. Pour custard in right to the top, then gently slide the tray in, being careful not to spill any filling. Bake for 15 minutes, then reduce oven to 180°C/160°C fan-forced and bake, rotating halfway through, for a further 35-40 minutes, until the quiche feels firm but still has a very slight wobble in the centre. Cool on tray at room temperature for 1 hour, or until the custard has set firm.
11.

Serve warm or at room temperature sprinkled with sorrel, if using.

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Recipe Notes

Once made, the dough will set hard as it contains lots of butter, so remove from the fridge at least 1 hour before you roll it so that it’s malleable without being soft.

You can make this quiche ahead of time. Cover and store in the fridge for up to 4 days.