Caramelized Garlic, Spinach,and Cheddar Tart
The unsung hero of this dish? The nutty-sweet garlic.
Ingredients:
- All-Butter Pie Dough - see recipe below
- All-Purpose Flour - (for surface)
- Eggs - 5 large
- Fresh/Frozen Ontario Garlic - 15 cloves
- Kosher Salt -
- Olive Oil - 1 Tbsp.
- Balsamic Vinegar - 1 Tbsp.
- Pure Maple Syrup - 1 Tbsp.
- Fresh Rosemary - 1 tsp. chopped
- Fresh Thyme - 1 tsp. chopped
- Freshly Ground Black Pepper -
- Sharp White Cheddar Cheese - 6 oz. grated (about 2 cups)
- Baby Spinach - 2 cups
- Creme Fraiche - 3/4 cup
- Heavy Cream - 3/4 cup
- All-Butter Pie Dough
- All-Purpose Flour - 2 1/2 cups
- Kosher Salt - 1 tsp.
- Unsalted Butter - 1 cup (2 sticks) chilled, cut into pieces
- Apple Cider Vinegar - 2 Tbsp.
Instructions:
All-Butter Pie Dough (makes enough for two 9-10" single crust pies)
To make this dough without a food processor, use your fingers or a pastry cutter to work the butter into the flour. Pulse flour and salt in a food processor to combine. Pulse in butter until mixture resembles coarse meal with pieces of butter still visible, about 20 pulses. Combine vinegar and 1/2 cup ice water in a measuring cup. Pulsing, drizzle in vinegar mixture; pulse until dough just holds together when squeezed (it should still be crumbly), about 10 pulses. Turn out dough and divide in half. Place each half on a sheet of plastic wrap and use plastic to press into disks. Wrap and chill until firm, about 2 hours. DO AHEAD: Dough can be chilled 3 days ahead. Or, freeze up to 2 months.
Tart
Place a rack in lower third of oven; preheat to 350F. Roll out 1 disk of dough on a lightly floured surface to a 14" round. Transfer to a 9"-diameter pie dish. Lift up edge and let dough slump down into dish. Trim, leaving about 1" overhang. Fold overhang under. Freeze 15 minutes. Meanwhile, roll out second disk of dough on a lightly floured surface until about 1/8" thick. Cut into 1/4"-thick strips. Transfer to a parchment-line baking sheet. If dough is soft, chill until just pliable. Working with 3 strips at a time, brad dough, returning braids to baking sheet as you go. Chill until just pliable. Beat 1 egg in a small bowl. Brush edge of dough in dish and bottom sides of braids with egg. Arrange braids along edge, trimming and gently pressing sections together as you go. Freeze 15 minutes. Line dough with parchment paper or foil, leaving some overhang. Fill with pie weight or dried beans. Bake until crust is dry around edge, 25-30 minutes. Remove parchment and weight and brush entire crust with egg. Bake until crust is dry and set, 10-15 minutes. Let cool.
Meanwhile, cook whole garlic in a medium saucepan of boiling salted water until beginning to soften, about 3 minutes; drain. Wipe saucepan dry and heat oil in pan over medium-high. Add garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until cloves start to turn golden brown, about 2 minutes. Add vinegar and 1 cup water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until garlic is tender, 10-12 minutes. Cool cloves, slice and return to pot. Add maple syrup, rosemary, and thyme, and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid is syrupy and coat garlic, about 5 minutes. Scatter cheese over crust; top with spinach. Whisk creme fraiche, cream, and remaining eggs in a medium bowl; season with sat and pepper. Pour over spinach. Add garlic with any syrup. Bake until custard is set and golden brown in spots, 35-40 minutes or until set in centre. Let cool on wire rack.
Another delicious recipe from the kitchen of The Garlic Box
