Make the most of budget-friendly carrots with this colourful veggie tart, topped with lemon rind curls and homemade carrot-top pesto
Prep:30 mins
Serves 6 – 8
large bunch of carrots with tops (about 800g)2 tsp olive oil1 tsp za’atar2 tsp honey125-150ml extra virgin olive oil2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped50g walnuts, roughly chopped40g grated parmesan or vegetarian hard cheese25g parsley, roughly chopped, plus whole leaves to serve200g feta drained and crumbled (vegetarian, if needed)150g Greek yogurt1 lemon, zested500g block puff pastry1 egg, beaten
STEP 1Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Trim off the carrot tops, discarding any tough stems, then set aside. Halve the carrots lengthways, tip into a roasting tin and toss with the olive oil and some seasoning. Roast for 25-30 mins until tender and golden, stirring once or twice to ensure they don’t stick. Stir in the za’atar and honey, and set aside.STEP 2Meanwhile, tip the reserved carrot tops and extra virgin olive oil into a food processor. Season and blitz, scraping down the sides occasionally until finely chopped. Add the garlic, walnuts, parmesan and parsley, and pulse until combined. Pour in another splash of olive oil, if needed. Transfer to a bowl and season to taste. Clean out the food processor, then tip in the feta, yogurt, most of the lemon zest and some seasoning. Blitz until smooth and creamy.STEP 3Put a large baking tray in the oven to heat up. Roll the pastry out on a sheet of baking parchment into a roughly 40 x 30cm rectangle. Gently score a 2cm border around the edge using a sharp knife. Brush the beaten egg all over the pastry and sprinkle a large pinch of sea salt around the border. Carefully slide the pastry onto the hot baking tray using the parchment to help you, and bake for 15-20 mins until golden and puffed up. Remove from the oven and gently press the middle down using the back of a metal spoon. Cool for 5-10 mins, then spread the whipped feta over the middle and arrange the roasted carrots on top. Drizzle over the pesto, scatter over the parsley and the remaining lemon zest, and cut into slices to serve.
