Beetroot Tart Tatin Recipe.

This week I was lucky enough to join my girlfriends for a birthday lunch hosted in the country kitchen of the lovely Sally Welch. Sally is renowned for her cookery demos so as part of the birthday girl’s treat we sat and marvelled as our hostess conjured up a lunch feast for 10 in the space of a few hours… which we then devoured obvs! One of my favourite recipes was the beetroot tart tatin, it was quick and easy to make and felt super Autumnal, so this weekend  I thought you guys might like this recipe too.

You will need…

375g all butter puff pastry

Plain flour for dusting

30g butter

1 tbsp olive oil

800g small beetroot, topped & tailed and scrubbed, not peeled and halved or quartered if large

2 tbsp light brown sugar

1 tbsp sherry or balsamic vinegar

1 tsp juniper berries, lightly crushed

For the dressing

35g walnuts roughly chopped

2 tbsp chopped fresh dill

Grated zest 1/2 orange and 2tbsp juice

1 tbsp lemon juice

2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

Here’s what to do…

1. Heat the oven to gas 6 / 200c / fan 180c
2. Heat the oil and butter in a 23-25cm (across the rim) heavy-based ovenproof frying pan over a medium heat
3. Add the sugar, balsamic vinegar and juniper berries, then add the beetroot giving it all a stir
4. Cover with foil, then bake for approx 1 hour depending on the size of your beetroot until the beetroot is tender to the point of a knife
5. Remove from the oven and arrange the beetroot, so it is round side down. You can do up to this point the day before and put aside in a cool place.
6. Put your puff pastry out on a floured surface and using a dinner plate the same size as the pan, use a knife to cut around the plate, cutting it 1cm larger than the pan.
7. Drape the pastry loosely over the pan tucking in the edges around the filling
8. Using a sharp knife make 2 holes in the pastry to let steam out
9. Bake for 25-40 minutes until the pastry is a dark golden colour.
10. Remove from the oven, leave to cool for 5 minutes then run a flat knife or silicone palette knife around the edge and turn upside down onto a board or plate
11. Combine the dressing ingredients in a bowl and season well, then spoon over the tart just before serving
12. Add feta or goats cheese for a little extra colour – this dish is great served warm or freshly made on the day but not refrigerated.

A cookery demo is a fab idea for a birthday gift – especially when you have a pile of pals attending, and it’s in such a gorgeous country home setting.

Jo, the birthday girl, tucks in.

The demonstration morning was full of hints and tips which even the savviest of cooks amongst us found enlightening (who knew for example that pastry is a dream to roll if you slap it between two sheets of cling film!). For more info on Sally’s demonstrations, you can email her sally@sallyscookerydemos.co.uk. And for weekly top tips head to her Facebook page here.

With thanks to Sally for the lovely day and the recipe above.