Sweet Bean and Potato Tart with Hazelnut Crust
by Cristina Acosta ©2007, 2008
This tart is my homage to the creative
souls of all our forefathers and mothers who birthed the
foundation of our contemporary lives. It’s a complex
blend of flavors that is a delicious ending to the
quintessential American
holiday meal – Thanksgiving dinner. It's assertive
flavors and hearty ingredients make it the perfect fall/winter
dessert.
I first read about sweet pie made with
refried beans in the cookbook, Las Comidas de los Abuelos (The Foods of
Our Grandparents), A La Herencia Ten-Year Anniversary
Cookbook published and edited by Ana Pacheco. It’s a
collection of historic recipes from the Spanish settlers of New
Mexico. I love antique recipes because they give me an idea of
how women have creatively used the resources available to them
to nurture life. Often a cookbook is the only glimpse we have
into women’s history, illustrating how resourcefulness
paired with creativity inspires not only surviving, but also
thriving.
I used that original recipe as the
inspiration for my Sweet Bean and Potato
Tart with Hazelnut Crust topped with Cranberry Rum Compote. This
dessert is a fusion of ingredients from each region of the
United States: Hazelnuts from the Northwest, Refried Beans from
the Southwest, Cranberries from the North East. Potatoes from
the Midwest and Oranges from the West Coast and South East
along with Rum, typical to the South East.
Make one recipe of Cranberry Rum Compote for each Tart.
Yield – Two
9” x 9” square or 9" round tarts.
Time: Approx 20
minutes to assemble the crust and filling. 15 minutes to cook
the crust and an additional 45 minutes to cook the tart
Tools: Oven, 2
spring-form pans, food processor or large, powerful blender /
Vitamix to combine mixture.
Custard
Ingredients:
- 1 16 oz. can refried beans (I used pinto beans, choose your favorite style; no-fat, vegetarian, or traditional)
- 2 cups sweet potatoes – either baked, peeled and cut, OR canned in light syrup and drained. Loosely fill the measuring cup. Do not pack down the potatoes.
- 4 Large eggs
- 2 T. ground dried ginger (use a pinch less if you are not a big fan of the spice)
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ Cup dark rum
- 2 Cups whole milk
- 2 Cups white sugar
- ½ Cup frozen orange juice concentrate
- 1 tsp. sea salt
Hazelnut Crust (a spring form pan works best)
Ingredients:
- 1 C finely chopped hazelnuts
-
2/3 Cup packed dark brown sugar
- 2/3 Cup cold butter, cut into rough chunks
- 3 Cups white flour
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
Crust Directions:
Combine all of the dry ingredients. Cut in the butter with a
food processor, or by hand til mixture resembles coarse corn
meal. Press mixture into the bottom of two spring-form pans.
Bake for 15 minutes at 350 degrees.
Tart Directions:
1. Preheat Oven to 350 degrees
2. Make the Hazelnut Crust and pre-cook the
crust 15 minutes at 350 before pouring in the liquid.
3. Combine all ingredients in a food
processor or large blender. Beginning on low, turn the machine
to high to completely grind and combine the ingredients. This
mixture is your custard.
4. Pour the custard liquid into two tart
pans lined with baked Hazelnut Crust.
Bake tarts (with filling) at 350 degrees for 45 to 55
minutes. Top of the custard may or may not rise a little and
settle into cracks when you remove it from the oven.
Cool before eating. Serve at room temperature. Garnish
with Cranberry Rum Compote.
Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan and bring to a boil
on medium/high heat, stirring frequently for 15-20 minutes. By
then at least 1/3 of the berries have spilt open and the liquid
has reduced and thickened, remove the compote from the heat and
cool.
Compote will continue to thicken as it cools.
Serve chilled or at room temperature.
*See instructions for Orange zest at the bottom of the page on
the Creamsicle Flan Recipe
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