Cheesy Sweet Potato Tarts Are Here to Save the Day
Bill, Judy, Sarah, and Kaitlin Leung are the cooks behind The Woks of Life, a food blog spanning several generations. For the past two years, the entire family has used the blog — featured as part of Yahoo Food Blogger of the Week series — as a platform to communicate, tell stories, and share food across distances. Below, Sarah Leung slips a virtuous heaping of kale into a downright decadent tart.
Photos courtesy of Woks of Life
Remember when kale was still an under-the-radar vegetable? The woodsy stemmed leaves made an appearance only as decoration for honey hams and turkey breasts in supermarket deli cases. But kale has experienced an extreme resurgence over the last couple years, coming out of the shadows and showing up in everything from soups, salads, and stuffings to pastas, smoothies, and side dishes. And once the food blogging world embraces an ingredient, the world embraces it.
In other words, we all basically attacked you with kale chip recipes until you finally flew the white flag and started eating it. Same thing happened with quinoa. And pomegranates. And an excessive use of mason jars.
If you’re looking for a new way to use the kale that’s wheedled its way into your weekly grocery cart, try out this cheesy kale sweet potato tart. It’s a somewhat new way to use the antioxidant-rich veg, paired with sweet potatoes, cheese, and lovely pastry. It also makes an awesome seasonal side for Thanksgiving, if you’re thinking about adding something new to the table this year.
Related: Little French Kitchen’s Carrot Tarte Tatin Recipe
Cheesy Kale Sweet Potato Tart
Makes 1 tart
For the pastry:
1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
¼ cup sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
1 stick cold butter, cut into small cubes
1 egg yolk
1 tablespoon cold water
For the filling:
2 tablespoons butter
½ cup finely chopped leeks
1 bunch kale, stemmed and chopped
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
1 small sweet potato
2 sprigs fresh thyme, plus more for garnish
1 cup ricotta or softened cream cheese
½ cup shredded cheese (Gruyère, aged cheddar, or manchego work great for this)
Start by making the crust: In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, and salt. Cut in the butter with a pastry cutter or two knives until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg yolk and water, then add it to the bowl with the flour mixture. Mix everything together with a fork until the dough comes together. Flatten into a disk, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and place in the refrigerator to chill for at least an hour. Take out of the refrigerator about a few minutes before you’re ready to roll it out.
Roll out the dough and fit it to your tart pan. You may have to patch it up a bit, but don’t worry, it’ll turn out great. Pierce the dough all over with a fork and place the tart shell in the freezer for 30 minutes.
Related: 7 Amazing Savory Apple Recipes (and Not a Pie in Sight)
Meanwhile, melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped leeks and cook for about 10 minutes. Add the kale, crushed red pepper flakes, and a couple drizzles of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook for another couple minutes, just until the kale is wilted. Remove from the heat.
Preheat the oven to 375°F (210°C). Blind bake the tart shell for 10 minutes, and remove from the oven. If you see it starting to puff up at all, poke the dough with a fork again!
Prep your potato by peeling it and slicing it paper-thin. A mandolin helps, but a sharp knife will do the job. Add the thyme and ricotta (or cream cheese) to the kale mixture. Place a layer of sweet potato slices in the bottom of the tart shell. Spread the kale and cheese mixture evenly over that, and top with another layer of sweet potato slices. Brush the top thoroughly with olive oil and sprinkle the shredded cheese over the tart. Bake for about 20 minutes, until golden brown.
This recipe originally appeared on The Woks of Life.
Related: Cake of the Day: Savory Cherry Tomato Cheesecake
In the market for more tart recipes? Try these:
Spinach, Artichoke, and Caramelized Leek Tart Recipe
Thomas Keller’s Lemon Tart Recipe
Hong Kong Egg Tart Recipe From ‘Woks of Life’
