Red and golden beet cheese tart
Instructions:
- All-purpose flour, for dusting
- 1 1/2 disks Perfect Pate Brisee
- 1 1/2 pounds (without greens) red, golden, and Chioggia beets
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
- Coarse salt
- 1 pound soft goat cheese, room temperature
- 4 ounces fresh ricotta cheese (scant 1/2 cup)
- 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh thyme, plus about 1 teaspoon whole leaves
- Freshly ground pepper
- 1/2 cup grated fontina cheese
- Preheat the oven to 375F. On a lightly floured surface, place 1 1 / 2 disks pate brisee next to each other; roll out to 1/8 inch thick. Press firmly into a 9 ×13-inch rimmed baking sheet, leaving a 1-inch overhang on all sides. Tuck the edges of dough under to create a double thickness; press firmly against the pan. Prick the dough with a fork. Refrigerate 30 minutes.
- Line the shell with parchment or foil; fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake until golden brown, about 30 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack. Remove the weights and parchment. Let the shell cool completely. (Leave oven on.)
- Trim all but 1/2 inch of stems from the beets; rinse. Toss with the oil and 1 teaspoon salt. Transfer to a rimmed baking sheet; cover tightly with foil. Roast until the beets are tender, 45 to 60 minutes. When cool enough to handle, peel the beets with a paring knife. Cut into thin rounds.
- Raise oven temperature to 425F. Stir together the goat cheese, ricotta, and chopped thyme until well combined; season with pepper. Spread the mixture over the tart shell, filling all the way to edges.
- Arrange the beets over the cheese mixture, overlapping the slices slightly and alternating colors. Lightly season with salt. Sprinkle the fontina and whole thyme leaves on top. Lightly drizzle with oil, and then season with pepper. Bake until golden brown, about 25 minutes. Serve warm.