Sweet, earthy and buttery all at once, this tarte Tatin recipe is the perfect centrepiece to a veggie spread. You can use different varieties and colours of root veg, too – though if you do, try to keep all the chunks a similar size. The carrots are a good source of fibre, vitamin K and potassium. Plus, carotene antioxidants have been linked to reduced cancer risk. Meanwhile, beetroot is a great source of iron and vitamin C and has been linked to increased exercise performance. You can easily make the dish vegan by using dairy-free puff pastry, swapping butter for a dairy-free spread, using agave syrup in place of honey and leaving off the feta cheese.
Serves 6
Plain flour, for rolling
500g block puff pastry
500g medium carrots
500g medium beetroot
100g unsalted butter
1 tbsp honey
2 tsp caraway seeds
50g feta cheese, crumbled (optional)
1 tbsp finely chopped tarragon leaves
1 Preheat the oven to 220ºC/200ºC fan/gas mark 7. Roll out the pastry on a floured surface so it’s around 5mm thick. Cut a rough circle about 2cm wider than the top of a heavy-based, 25-26cm frying pan. Lay on a baking sheet and chill for at least 20 mins.
2 Trim and wash the veg. Quarter the carrots lengthways, then slice the beetroot into six wedges (if you’re using larger veg, simply cut it smaller).
3 Heat the butter in a frying pan over a medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until it’s nut brown (about 4-5 mins). Add the honey, caraway seeds and veg, tossing to coat. Pour in enough water to just cover the veg (about 750ml) and season. Bring to a rapid boil for 25-30 mins, or until almost all of the liquid has evaporated.
4 Lay the chilled pastry tightly over the veg, tucking any of the overhang down the sides of the pan with a wooden spoon. Cut a few slits into the pastry to let steam escape, then bake for 20 mins. Reduce the oven temperature to 200ºC/180ºC fan/gas mark 6, and cook for 10 mins more, covering with foil if it’s browning too much. Set aside to rest for 10 mins before carefully inverting on to a plate. Serve scattered with feta, if desired, and chopped tarragon.
Recipe and styling: Myles Williamson
Photography: Sam Stowell