Pie with bacon and spinach
The bacon and spinach tart is a perfect choice for a hearty meal, full of flavors and textures that combine simple ingredients in a delicious way. This recipe will not only delight your taste buds, but it will also bring a touch of nostalgia to each slice, evoking family memories and moments spent around the table. Let's discover together how to prepare this tart, step by step, to achieve a perfect result.
Preparation Time
- Preparation time: 30 minutes
- Baking time: 30 minutes
- Total time: 1 hour
- Servings: 6-8
Ingredients
For the dough:
- 140 g cold butter
- 260 g flour
- 1 egg
- A pinch of salt
- 4 tablespoons milk
For the filling:
- 150 g bacon (or alternatively chicken breast, sausages, depending on your preference)
- 1 small onion
- 3 cloves of garlic
- 4 cherry tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 cup cold water
- 1 teaspoon flour
- 300 g spinach (frozen or fresh)
- 2 slices of processed cheese
- A pinch of seasoning (or your preferred spice blend)
A Brief History
The tart is a culinary dish with deep roots in gastronomic history, consumed for centuries in various forms. Over time, the tart has evolved, with each culture contributing its local ingredients. The bacon and spinach tart is a modern combination that merges tradition with innovation, resulting in a main dish that can be enjoyed both hot and cold.
Step by Step
1. Preparing the Dough
Start by preparing the dough. In a large bowl, combine the flour with a pinch of salt. Add the cold butter cut into cubes and mix with your fingers until you achieve a texture similar to fine sand. This step is crucial for obtaining a light and crispy crust.
Add the egg and milk. Mix with a spatula or your hands until the ingredients combine into a dough ball. If the dough is too dry, you can add a tablespoon of cold water. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and let it chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
2. Preparing the Filling
While the dough is chilling, you can prepare the filling. In a skillet, add a little oil and sauté the finely chopped onion until it becomes translucent. Then, add the diced bacon and let it brown slightly.
Once the bacon has turned golden, add the chopped cherry tomatoes, tomato paste, and the cup of cold water. This mixture will form a savory base for the filling. Let it simmer for a few minutes, then add a teaspoon of flour and mix well to thicken the sauce. Remove from heat and let the mixture cool slightly.
In another skillet, add the spinach (if using frozen spinach, make sure it is thawed and drained of excess water). Sauté it together with the minced garlic and a pinch of seasoning. This step will enhance the flavor of the spinach and add a delicious note to the filling.
3. Assembling the Tart
Once the dough has chilled, remove it from the refrigerator and roll it out on a floured surface to a thickness of about 1 cm (or 1.5-2 cm for a thicker crust). Use a rolling pin and make sure the dough doesn’t stick to the surface.
Grease a tart pan with butter and sprinkle a little flour. Place the dough in the pan, trim the excess from the edges, and prick it with a fork to prevent it from puffing up during baking. Preheat the oven to 180°C.
Bake the dough in the oven for 10-15 minutes until it turns slightly golden. This will ensure a crispy base for the filling.
4. Finalizing and Baking
After the dough is baked, add a layer of the bacon mixture to the bottom of the tart, followed by the sautéed spinach and the processed cheese slices torn into pieces. These will melt during baking, adding a delicious creaminess.
Make a lattice from the remaining dough by cutting thin strips and laying them over the filling. This will not only look attractive but will also add a crunchy texture.
Beat an egg and brush it over the lattice for a golden and glossy crust. Bake the tart in the oven for 20-25 minutes, or until it becomes golden and crispy.
Serving and Variations
The bacon and spinach tart is delicious served warm, but also cold, making it an excellent option for picnics or festive meals. You can accompany the tart with a fresh green salad or a tomato and basil salad to add a touch of freshness.
Helpful Tips
- Alternative Ingredients: If you don’t have bacon, you can use chicken breast or sausages. For a vegetarian option, you can skip the meat and add mushrooms or tofu.
- Cheese: Experiment with different types of processed cheese, such as mozzarella or goat cheese, to add a distinctive flavor.
- Spices: Add fresh herbs like dill or parsley for an extra burst of flavor.
Nutritional Benefits
Spinach is an excellent source of vitamins A, C, and K, as well as minerals like iron and calcium, while bacon adds protein. This tart is not only tasty but also nutritious, providing a balanced meal.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Can I use other vegetables in the filling?
- Absolutely! You can use zucchini, bell peppers, or mushrooms, adapting the recipe to your preferences.
2. Can the tart be frozen?
- Yes, the tart can be frozen before baking. Make sure to wrap it well in plastic wrap to prevent freezer burn.
3. How can I improve the texture of the dough?
- Ensure the butter is cold and cut into small cubes, and when mixing the ingredients, don’t overwork them to avoid a dense crust.
Now you have all the necessary information to prepare a delicious bacon and spinach tart. This recipe is not only an excellent culinary choice but also an opportunity to enjoy pleasant time in the kitchen, experimenting and savoring each step of the cooking process. Bon appétit!
The bacon and spinach tart is a hearty and delicious dish. I made the tart dough by mixing flour with salt, an egg, milk, and cold butter... I kneaded it well and obtained a dough that I chilled for about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, I sautéed an onion in some oil, then I chopped some bacon (that's what I had in the fridge, but you can also use chicken breast, sausages, or anything else that comes to mind or you find on your fridge shelves) and tossed it over the golden onion. I also added some finely chopped cherry tomatoes, a tablespoon of tomato paste, and a cup of cold water. This was to create a sort of binding sauce... when everything was bubbling, I sprinkled in a teaspoon of flour while stirring quickly to avoid burning. I then removed it from the heat and let it cool. In another pan, I sautéed the spinach and added finely chopped garlic and a bit of seasoning. After the chilling time was over... I took the dough and rolled it out to about 1 cm thick... I made a mistake here because I should have rolled it out to just 1.5-2 cm thick... but there's always next time. After that, I placed the dough in the greased and floured baking dish, leveled it nicely, and cut off the excess dough from the edges. From this, I rolled out again and cut some strips to create a sort of lattice over the filling. The tart dough placed in the dish, pricked with a fork, I put in the oven for about 10 minutes (next time I'll leave it a little longer). After the 10 minutes were up, I added the filling as follows: a layer of meat with sauce, a layer of spinach, and pieces of melted cheese. Then I placed the lattice made from the remaining dough on top, brushed everything with an egg, and baked it for about 20-25 minutes. I confess that I couldn't wait and dug into the hot tart... as soon as I took it out of the oven. But it's very good even cold, maybe even better. The bacon and spinach tart is served warm, but it's also very tasty when cold. The source of this recipe is the culinary blog Alice - Albinutza.
Ingredients: For the dough: 140 g butter, 260 g flour, 1 egg, a pinch of salt, 4 tablespoons of milk. For the filling: some bacon, a small onion, 3 cloves of garlic, 4 cherry tomatoes, 1 tablespoon of tomato paste, a cup of cold water, 1 teaspoon of flour, frozen spinach, 2 slices of processed cheese.
