Beetroot Pie

My friend from work had a gathering at her home on Sunday and she called it "A Little Bit of Sweden". She is Swedish but has lived here for many years and in that time has gathered some wonderful friends from her many facets of life. She teaches yoga, is a massage therapist, has a certificate III in horticulture and passionate about the environment.

She is also vegetarian and the buffet table groaned with European influenced epicurean delights in every colour of the vegetable rainbow. The beetroot pie really caught my attention and my friend has kindly converted the recipe for me from Swedish. Instead of chevre I am using ricotta and some feta as Craig is not fond of goat's cheese.

Beetroot Pie

Serves 4-5

450g of fresh beetroot

50 ml of blackcurrant gel

Base

75g walnuts

150g butter

generous cup of flour

1 egg yolk

1-2 tabs cold water

Filling

175g chevre

100 ml cream

2 eggs

100 ml milk

2 tabs fresh thyme

salt and pepper

Oven 200 degrees (Celsius)

Roast the nuts in a dry fry pan and the then chop very finely and work in with the rest of the base ingredients to form a dough. Use a pie form and pre-bake for 10 mins.

Peel the cooked beetroot

Mash the cheese and mix with the cream, milk, eggs, thyme and season to taste. Pour into the pastry shell and lay slices of beetroot on the top/in it.

Bake for 20-25 mins. Brush some warmed blackcurrant gel on top.

At the same party I also met another blogger from the area, Apple Island Wife, and her family who are neighbours to my friend Lee from Killiecrankie Farm I love Tasmania and it's constant 6 degrees of separation. I also felt very warm and fuzzy looking around the eclectic group of people who had embraced this dynamic lady so far from home and family and made her one of our own. We celebrated her heritage and had practiced our Swedish words and sipped heavily spiced Gluwein.

Tak fur matten

(Thank you for the food)