Hazelnut and Pumpkin Tart – perfect for picnics
January 6, 2016
Picnics, I love them. When the weather is right, grab a rug, some loved ones and a couple of friends (or more). Keep it casual and find the ultimate shady spot at the park. If you’ve got kids then make sure you go to one with a playground so they can run around and wear themselves out while you have a little relax. The local pool is also an excellent place to have a summer picnic; take your towel and a tub full of watermelon and wash off the drips by taking a dip. Invite other families for a pot-luck picnic. Hey, even just have a picnic in your backyard or, if you’re feeling social, on your front nature strip – you get to meet lots of lovely neighbours that way.
Here is a recipe I found in my archives, that I think would be perfect for the summer picnic season – if there isn’t such a thing as a summer picnic season, then I think there definitely should be. Let’s make one together. A personal challenge to eat outside as much as possible this summer. Summer picnic season 2016 – go team picnic!
I will suggest a few adjustments to the original recipe, I have learnt some tricks to making gluten free or grain free quiche bases since I wrote the original. Firstly, I now use buckwheat flour instead of brown rice flour (which is only important if you would like to make it grain free), and instead of the cornflour or potato flour, try ground flaxseeds if you have them on hand – they make the base stick together much better (and are again also grain free). If you would like a more crumbly base then use butter, but if you would like it to hold together for a firmer crust, substitute the butter for 50ml or so of olive oil.
Hazelnut and Pumpkin Tart
20cm loose bottomed tart tin, greased with butter
For the filling:
600g pumpkin, sliced into wedges and roasted until tender
3 tablespoons of dukkah for sprinkling
150g ricotta
4 beautiful, organic, free range eggs
For the gluten free hazelnut crust:
75g butter, cold and cubed (or 50ml olive oil)
65g brown rice flour (or buckwheat flour)
45g hazelnut meal (almond meal makes a great substitute)
2 tablespoons potato flour or cornflour (or ground golden flaxseeds)
around 50ml of cold water
a pinch of good quality salt
Combine the rice flour, salt and hazelnut meal in a bowl. Add your butter (or olive oil), and use your hands to crumble it all together, until things are looking a little lumpy and pretty well mixed. Sprinkle in some cold water, and give a light knead until a dough forms. You should need around 2 or 3 tablespoons of water. Wrap the dough in cling film and pop it in the fridge for 30 mins to firm up a bit.
Preheat oven to 190°C.
Once the dough has had a rest, use your hands to press the dough into the bottom and up the sides of a well greased tart tin. Yes, no rolling pins required! Pop the base into the oven to bake for 10 – 15 minutes or until lightly golden.
While the base is baking, whisk together in a bowl the ricotta and eggs until smooth, along with a good pinch of salt and a crack of pepper.
Pour the ricotta and egg mixture into the tart shell, then place the roasted pumpkin pieces on top. Sprinkle with the dukkah, then place in the oven to bake for around 20-30 minutes. It is ready when the tart has puffed and it is slightly golden all over and the eggs are fully set.
This tart is delicious hot out of the oven or at room temperature. Bring it to the table or the picnic rug and top with a handful of wild rocket and a crumbling of goat’s fetta. The base will be delicious and a bit crisp and crumbly, just mop it all up with your fingers and enjoy.
Hazelnut and Pumpkin Tart
Print RecipeIngredients
- 600g pumpkin, sliced into wedges and roasted until tender
- 3 tablespoons of dukkah for sprinkling
- 150g ricotta
- 4 beautiful, organic, free range eggs
- +
- 75g butter, cold and cubed (or 50ml olive oil)
- 65g brown rice flour (or buckwheat flour)
- 45g hazelnut meal (almond meal makes a great substitute)
- 2 tablespoons potato flour or cornflour (or ground golden flaxseeds)
- around 50ml of cold water
- a pinch of good quality salt
Instructions
Combine the rice flour, salt and hazelnut meal in a bowl. Add your butter (or olive oil), and use your hands to crumble it all together, until things are looking a little lumpy and pretty well mixed. Sprinkle in some cold water, and give a light knead until a dough forms. You should need around 2 or 3 tablespoons of water. Wrap the dough in cling film and pop it in the fridge for 30 mins to firm up a bit.
Preheat oven to 190°C.
Once the dough has had a rest, use your hands to press the dough into the bottom and up the sides of a well greased tart tin. Yes, no rolling pins required! Pop the base into the oven to bake for 10 - 15 minutes or until lightly golden.
While the base is baking, whisk together in a bowl the ricotta and eggs until smooth, along with a good pinch of salt and a crack of pepper.
Pour the ricotta and egg mixture into the tart shell, then place the roasted pumpkin pieces on top. Sprinkle with the dukkah, then place in the oven to bake for around 20-30 minutes. It is ready when the tart has puffed and it is slightly golden all over and the eggs are fully set.
This tart is delicious hot out of the oven or at room temperature. Bring it to the table or the picnic rug and top with a handful of wild rocket and a crumbling of goat’s fetta. The base will be delicious and a bit crisp and crumbly, just mop it all up with your fingers and enjoy.
Notes
• gluten free • grain free •
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