Looking for a sweet idea to surprise your romantic interest? I plated these mini tarts in heart-shaped dishes just in time for Valentine’s Day. The beets tie into a red theme, and truly send a message of love—with some extra benefits.
Truth be told: when I started planning this dish, I envisioned this tart with fresh figs, whose appearance and flavor would also be splendid. But, unfortunately, they were not in season (February). So then I thought beets would make a nice substitution, and lend their celebrated bright red hue to boot. In researching aphrodisiacs, I also found out they promote feelings of euphoria, and increase the level of sex hormones and blood flow. So the aphrodisiac recipe is complete. Add a drizzle of NUDO Rosmarino olive oil before serving to add to the experience.
To serve: A dear friend gave me a set of heart-shaped dishes, and I always wondered what I could serve in them. Dilemma solved! These tarts send a statement of love and house a super tart at the same time. As luck would have it, the 4 pastry squares fit each 5-inch heart exactly. ‘Twas meant to be part of my plan for Valentine’s Day eating, see my other aphrodisiac recipes at this link.
MAKES 4 TARTS
THAW PUFF PASTRY
1/2 pkg Pepperidge Farm Puff Pastry
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Remove one pasty from package. Securely wrap remaining pastry and return to freezer immediately. Let pastry thaw for 40 min.
PREHEAT OVEN 400ºF… BAKE THE BEETS
3 beets
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Remove greens, scrub beets. Bake about 40 min, till tender. Remove from oven, let cool for 5 min. Peel off the skins. (shortcut: buy pre-cooked beets)
PREPARE PASTRY
thawed pastry
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Cut pastry into 4 squares. If using heart-shaped dishes, place one square of the pastry on the diagonal, trim the points, and fill in the missing areas on the top of the heart. OR, you can just bake the squares without any dishes instead.
PREPARE THE TARTS
4 oz ricotta cheese, at room temp
1 orange, zested
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cooked beets, cut into 1/8-inch slices
Nudo Rosmarino EV Olive Oil
3 TB pine nuts, toasted
2 tsp thyme, minced
s + p
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Mix ricotta and zest together. Spread an even layer over the pastry, leaving a border. Space out the sliced beets around the tart. Drizzle the olive oil, then sprinkle pine nuts and thyme. Lightly season with s + p.
BAKE THE TARTS
Transfer the tarts to a baking sheet (line with parchment if not using dishes). Bake for 25-30 min till edges of the tart are golden brown. Allow the tart to cool, about 5 min, and serve.
Get in the mood with more recipes for romance in 12 Aphrodisiacs
