“I feel like a time traveler. June, July, August. Summer dissolves in my mouth and I can’t remember what it tasted like.” Zoë Lianne
If Summer is dissolving in my mouth, its flavour is fresh herbs warm from my garden, the handful of raspberries I saved from the birds, and a glass of crisp rosé in the hammock.
We continue to get a fair bit of rain in my part of the world, which means that my swiss chard has been more abundant than normal. The tomatoes are taking over as they do, and I’ve decided to just let them do their thing out there. Rain + heat = lots of mosquitoes, so I’ve kinda given up on weeding for the time being.
Truth be told, I started growing the chard because it just looks so pretty, so I’ve been trying to find some creative ways to cook it. My friend Shalya shared a recipe for a swiss chard tart, and I tweaked it a bit (as I tend to do with most recipes). Here’s the result and the recipe—it’s pretty adaptable!
Rustic Swiss Chard & Feta Tart
1 recipe pastry (I bought mine from a local shop, but also like Martha Stewart’s recipe)
1-2 bunches Swiss Chard, washed and chopped, stems cut out and sliced*
1 leek or white onion, chopped
4 cloves, minced
¾ cup feta cheese, crumbled
1 Tbsp Olive oil
2 Tbsp pesto
¼ cup fresh herbs, chopped (I used basil, chives, and parsley)
Salt and pepper
*The original recipe called for just one bunch but I used more.
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat the oven to 400F.
To make the filling: heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped swiss chard stems and saute for two minutes, then add the onion, and saute until both are soft. Add the garlic and salt and pepper. Then add the swiss chard leaves, and stir (I put a cookie sheet over it at this point to help it wilt faster). Let it cool slightly, then fold in the feta cheese, and fresh herbs.
Roll the pastry dough into a rough circle about 12” in diameter, then transfer it to a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Spread the pesto on top of the pastry, then spoon the chard mixture on top, leaving a 1.5” border of pastry dough. Fold the edges of the dough over the filling, pleating the edges.
Bake for 35-45 minutes until the crust is golden. Sprinkle with more fresh herbs and salt and pepper.
Enjoy!
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