Ingredients

For the shortcrust pastry

120g

Plain flour

1/2 tsp

sea salt

60g

fridge cold butter, diced into cubes

1-2 tbsp

ice cold water

egg, lightly whisked

For the filling

1 tbsp

olive oil

large onion, finely sliced

garlic clove, finely chopped

1 tsp

black (brown) mustard seeds

1/2 tsp

cumin seeds

sprigs of thyme, leaves stripped

250g

beetroot, peeled & grated

2 tsp

butter

60g

goat's cheese with rind, cut into 5-6 rounds

a drizzle of honey

salt & pepper

"If you find the idea of perfecting the pastry on a quiche too overwhelming, then you’ll be much happier, as I am, to get to know the free-form galette instead. The filling is made from grated raw beetroot which not only cooks quicker than you might expect, but also turns the onions pink. Serve with a simple leafy side salad.

This recipe will also work with grated carrot. Replace the goat’s cheese with feta and add coriander seeds instead of mustard and cumin to change the flavour profile."

Huge thanks to Ceri Jones for this delicious recipe, taken from her latest cookbook It Starts with Veg, published by Pavilion Books.

SERVES 2

TIME TO PREPARE – 1 HOUR, PLUS COOLING

Method

First make the pastry. Place the flour and salt into a bowl and add the diced butter. Cut the fat into the flour with a knife and then use your fingertips to gently rub the butter into the flour until crumb-like. Add the ice cold water a little at a time as needed to gently bring the mix together into a smooth dough. Wrap the pastry in clingfilm and chill in the fridge for at least 20 minutes.
While the pastry is chilling, make the filling. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a medium-sized frying pan over a low-medium heat. Sauté the onions with a pinch of salt for 10 minutes, until softened but not crispy. Stir in the garlic, mustard and cumin seeds, thyme leaves, and grated beetroot. Cook for another 10 minutes, until the beetroot has softened, most of the water has evaporated and everything is pink. Stir regularly to avoid sticking. Add the butter, stir to melt, and season to taste. Set aside to cool.
Preheat the oven to 180°C fan/200°C/400°F/gas mark 6.
Roll out the pastry on top of a piece of parchment paper in an oval shape to 3mm/¹⁄₈ inch thickness. Pile in the beetroot filling leaving a 3cm/1¼ inch gap around the edge. Layer the goat’s cheese rounds over the beetroot mix, then using the parchment to help you, fold the exposed pastry edges inwards and slightly over the beetroot filling to form the rustic crust. Glaze the exposed pastry with whisked egg.
Transfer the galette, along with the parchment paper to a suitably sized baking tray. Bake for 25–30 minutes until the pastry and the goat’s cheese are golden brown.
Once baked, drizzle over honey and cool on the tray for 10 or so minutes before serving.