Carrot Buttermilk Tart Recipe

If you’re like us, spring has you mapping out your backyard vegetable garden and anticipating the resulting fresh harvest. All the more reason to consider serving up this eye-friendly and delicious Carrot Buttermilk Tart for your next family dinner, courtesy of FYidoctors patient Maureen Van Schepdael!

This recipe keeps a few eye-nourishing nutrients in mind. Carrots contain beta-carotene, a type of vitamin A, which helps the retina and other parts of the eye function smoothly. Whole eggs and yolk are a prime source of lutein and zeaxanthin, which reduce the risk of chronic eye diseases, including AMD and cataracts. Other ingredients that make this recipe delicious are the dairy and nuts. You can top up on your zinc by consuming dairy products in order to lower your risk of AMD. And don’t forget that the vitamin E found in nuts has been found to protect the eye’s cells from free radicals that break down important tissue.

With every bite of this yummy tart, your eyes will benefit.

Ingredients

Crust:

1 ½ cups whole wheat flour or gluten free flour

1 teaspoon sugar

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

3 tablespoons ice water

2 large eggs

Filling:

1.5 cups chopped raw carrots

1 cup whole milk

1 egg yolk

1/8 cup sugar

1 cup buttermilk

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Topping:

1 to 2 carrots, peeled into ribbons

1 teaspoon sugar

1 tablespoon chopped pistachios

Preparation

Crust:

1. Combine flour and sugar in a medium bowl. Cut in butter until pea-sized crumbs form. Add 3 tablespoons of ice water, stirring until mixture just comes together. Form dough into a ball, flatten into a disc, and wrap it in plastic. Chill for 30 minutes.
2. Heat oven to 350°F. Roll dough into a large round about 10 ½ inches in diameter. Place in a 9-inch spring form pan. Whisk eggs and brush crust with 2 tablespoons of the egg mixture. Bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes.

Filling:

3. Combine carrots and milk in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low and continue simmering until carrots are tender, about 10 minutes. Puree in a blender until smooth.
4. Whisk remaining egg mixture, yolk, and sugar in medium bowl until pale and fluffy. Add buttermilk, vanilla, and carrot puree and whisk until combined. Strain through a fine mesh strainer and pour into crust. Bake until carrot mixture sets but is still slightly jiggly in the centre, about 16 to 20 minutes. Cool completely, then chill until set.

Topping:

5. Place carrot ribbons on top of the tart and sprinkle with pistachios and sugar.