Potato Roses Tart

Ingredients:

For the potato roses

• 4-5 medium-sized Idaho® Russet potatoes
• ¼ - ⅓ cup vegetable oil (or more for greasing)
• Salt and pepper, to taste

For the pastry

• 1½ cups all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 stick plant-based butter, chopped into small pieces (I used Country Crock Plant butter)
• 4 tablespoons ice-cold water (I put a few ice cubes in ice water to make them extra cold)

For the filling

• 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
• ⅓ cup (55 grams) bell pepper, diced
• ½ cup (55 grams) red onion, diced
• 200 millimeter full-fat canned coconut milk
• 2 tablespoons chickpea flour
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• ¼ teaspoon paprika
• pinch of ground turmeric
• pinch of dried Italian seasoning
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes

Directions:

Make the potato roses

1. Peel and wash the potatoes. Keep them immersed in water to prevent discoloration.
2. Grease a 12-cup muffin tin with vegetable oil. Set aside.
3. Using a mandoline slicer on the #1 setting, slice the potatoes in thin strips (lengthwise).
4. Place about 10 slices overlapping over one another on a clean work surface, start at one end and begin rolling. Set aside.
5. Place another 10 overlapping slices on a work surface, take the first roll of potatoes, place it on one end and continue loosely rolling. Repeat until you have a potato rose about 2˝ wide.
6. Place in a muffin tin and drizzle generously with vegetable oil, making sure to brush the tips. Season with salt and pepper.
7. Continue making roses until you have made about 10-12 roses.
8. When you start working on the last rose, preheat the oven to 425°F/220°C. Position baking rack to the middle position.
9. Once you’re done shaping the roses, bake in the preheated oven at 425°F/220°C for 30-35 minutes.
10. Remove each rose from the muffin tin, drain on a wire rack to let extra liquid/oil drip. Set aside.

Make the pie crust

1. While the potato roses are baking, make the pastry dough.
2. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the flour, salt and butter. Using a fork or a pastry cutter, shred the butter into the flour, making sure not to overwork it.
3. Add the ice-cold water and press into a dough without kneading. Add only enough water to get a crumbly dough that holds its shape when pressed into a ball.
4. Refrigerate for 10-15 minutes.
5. Between two sheets of wax/parchment paper, roll the chilled dough into a disc about 12” wide.
6. Transfer to a 9” pie tin, trim off excess. Refrigerate for 10-15 minutes to chill.
7. Preheat oven to 425°F/220°C.
8. Line the top of the chilled pastry with parchment paper/foil. Place pie weights or dried lentils on top. Bake in the preheated oven at 425°F/220°C for 15 minutes.
9. Remove the pie weights/parchment paper and continue baking for another 7 minutes.
10. Remove from the oven and let cool.

Make the filling

1. Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a small skillet.
2. Sauté the diced peppers and onion until slightly soft. Set aside.
3. In a bowl, combine the remaining ingredients – from coconut milk through red pepper flakes. Set aside.

Assemble

1. Preheat oven to 400°F/200°C.
2. Spread the roasted onion and peppers on the blind-baked pie crust.
3. Arrange the potato roses on top, trimming the bases if needed to make them fit into the pie crust without being too tall.
4. Pour the filling into the pie crust, making sure to get in between the roses. 

Bake

1. Bake in the preheated oven at 400°F/200°C in the middle rack for 30 minutes.
2. Cover with foil and continue baking for another 10-15 minutes or until the filling is set.
3. Remove from oven, let sit for 5-7 minutes and serve warm.

Notes:

• Don’t waste the potato rose base trimmings! Lay them on a baking tray, sprinkle with salt and pepper and bake in a 425°F/220°C for 20 minutes. Serve with a dip of your choice as a delicious snack.
• While rolling the potato roses, I like to save the ends (smaller pieces) to make smaller roses. Varying sizes make for an interesting tart.
• I used Idaho® Russet potatoes here because they really hold their shape while baking. But use whatever medium-sized Idaho® potatoes you have.