Rainbow Chard Tartlets with Rosemary Almond Meal Crust
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A few cool and rather unwanted days have snuck back into the area causing an uproar amongst flip flop and short wearing enthusiasts, myself included. Junes here are always unpredictable, and one must be prepared for light drizzles and cool breezes even though everyone else is working on their tan while sipping iced tea. To battle these uncertain elements I always turn to a warm, comforting meal and of course a good book to remind me summer is truly near.
Despite not eating any grains or starches we are fortunate enough to have a wonderful and healthy alternative, almond meal. A small bag of finely ground, blanched almonds can make a whole slew of delectable treats inluding pies, tarts, cakes, breads, and crackers. These days we are trying to incorporate more raw foods in our diet but there are some days, as formerly mentioned above, where a cooked meal is a necessity.
Even if you do not have any diet restrictions I encourage you to give almond flour/meal a try. It is extremely low in carbs, high in protein and this particular crust requires no butter, lard or eggs yet it is just as moist and crumbly as a regular tart crust.
This dish is as easy as it is comforting. No chilling the crust required. You just mix the ingredients together, press the dough into a the pan and bake.
For those of you still plagued with these cruel, chilly days this recipe should be at the top of your list. And for everyone else, this would be perfect for a light picnic on the beach.....send me a postcard:)
Rosemary Almond Tart Shell
(tweaked from The Gluten Free Almond Flour Cookbook)
- 1 1/2 cups blanched almond flour ( I like Bob's Red Mill brand)
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1TBSP minced fresh rosemary
- 1/4 cup grapeseed oil
- 1 TBSP water
Preheat oven to 350F.
In a large bowl, combine the almond flour, salt, and rosemary. Stir the wet ingredients into the almond flour mixture until thoroughly combined. Press the dough into a 9-inch tart pan or 5 mini tartlet pans (I spray my tart pans with nonstick spray to help them come out easy!!)
Bake for 15-20 minutes, until lightly brown. Remove from the oven and let cool for 15 minutes. Then place tarts (still in the pans) in the fridge for 30 minutes...getting them cold will aid in removing them from their pans.
Remove the tarts from the fridge. Flip each one upside down, hold it in your hand and tap the bottom with a spoon or knife and the tart should slide right out. If it doesnt keep tapping and gently squeeze the tart pans.
Once out of the pan carefully place each tart right side up on a baking sheet. Be careful these tarts are crumbly! Fill with rainbow chard filling.
Rainbow Chard Filling
- 1 bunch of rainbow chard, stems and leaves chopped
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 big garlic clove minced
- 3 large eggs
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 heaping TSP of fresh thyme, chopped
- 2 TBSP olive oil
- 1/2 cup parmesan
- aged balsamic vinegar for garnish
Heat olive oil in a deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until the onion is soft and translucent, about 8 minutes. Add the chard stems (you will add the leaves later) and chopped rosemary. Cook for 7-10 minutes until the stems are tender. Add the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds or so. Add the chard leaves. Cook until the leaves are wilted and soft and any liquid has evaporated, 7-10 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and let cool.
Beat together the eggs and season with salt and a pinch of pepper. Add the cooled chard mixture and parmesan. Mix well and scrape the filling into the prepared shell(s).
Bake for 20-30 minutes, until set. Remove from oven and serve warm with a drizzle of balsamic.
Enjoy!
