Savory Carrot-Thyme Tart

This tart is an excellent spring meal, whether for brunch, lunch, or dinner. It helped me to kill two birds with one stone - make use of the gorgeous carrots I got at the farmers market, and take another leap toward making a real pie crust from scratch. I'm starting to think it's not so difficult after all, as the crust for this recipe came together very easily. And it's even fairly healthy, too!

I think the recipe speaks for itself, but I'll just mention this would be delicious with any herb of your choice, just about, so long as it complements carrots nicely. The original recipe called for tarragon, but I had a stash of fresh thyme just waiting to be used. Rosemary would also be excellent. Whichever herb you use, serve this alongside a simple salad and you have a delicious meal. It's a bit of a labor of love for a weeknight meal, but it was quite enjoyable. Almost as enjoyable as eating it.

Savory Carrot-Thyme Tart
adapted from Eating Well Magazine
serves 6-8








INGREDIENTS:

The Crust
1 1/2 cup white whole wheat flour
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1/4 cup EVOO
1/4 cup low fat plain yogurt

The Filling
2 tablespoons EVOO
1/2 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
1 1/2 cups grated carrots (about 4 medium-large carrots)
2 tablespoons dry sherry, divided
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/2 cup grated sharp white cheddar
1/2 cup low fat plain yogurt
1/2 cup skim milk
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh thyme
pinch salt and freshly ground pepper

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350. Coat a 9-inch tart pan with cooking spray and place it on a cookie sheet. Set aside.

2. In a food processor, pulse flour, thyme, and salt for crust. Add butter one piece at a time, pulsing once or twice after each addition, until incorporated. Add 1/4 cup oil and 1/4 cup yogurt and pulse just until dough starts to come together. Transfer the dough to the prepared tart pan (it will be crumbly), and spread evenly and press firmly into the bottom and up the sides to form a crust.

3. Bake crust until set but not browned, about 15 minutes. Set aside to cool.

4. Prepare the filling: heat 2 tablespoons EVOO in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes, until onions are softened. Stir in carrots and 1 tablespoon sherry and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Remove from heat.

5. Spread mustard over the crust. Sprinkle with cheddar, then top with the carrot and onion mixture.

6. In a medium bowl, whisk 1/2 cup yogurt, milk, eggs, thyme, remaining 1 tablespoon sherry, pinch of salt and pepper. Pour into the tart pan, evenly covering the carrot and onion mixture. Bake 45 minutes, or until filling is firm and edges are golden brown. Cool 15 minutes before slicing.

I am very proud that my first flour-based pie crust came out so well - and the filling is delicious too! This is a dangerous discovery...

Enjoy!