Kale and Sun-Dried Tomato Tart with Almond Herb Crust

Hi there. It’s been pretty silent in here. In my other world, the one outside this cozy corner of the internet, it’s been a time of inward reflection, giant leaps, and watching how early the sun rises every morning, that exact moment where the sky turns from black to dark grey, the one that beckons me outside to move this body of mine and greet the day.

For me, the end of winter always brings with it a time of retreating into myself, but like the soft clouds of white and pink dogwoods blossoming all over town, I am feeling a growing urge to pop back into the world. So here I am.

Hello world!

It's good to be back.

I think a picnic is in order, don’t you? Let’s lay out a spicy colored blanket under the soft white halo of a cherry tree in bloom and have a slice of kale and sun-dried tomato tart.


Kale and Sun-Dried Tomato Tart with Almond Herb Crust, adapted from The Gluten-Free Almond Flour Cookbook

This crust is the easiest crust I’ve ever made. There’s no rolling out of finicky gluten-free dough, no refrigeration, and, best of all, no grains or starch. You just throw together some almond flour, herbs, salt, water, and grapeseed oil and press it all down into a 9-inch pie pan and, ta-dah! You’re done. Plus, it’s delicious.

Crust:

1 1/2 cups blanched almond flour
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon herbes de provence
1/4 cup grapeseed oil
1 tablespoon water

Preheat oven to 350ºF.

Mix the almond flour, sea salt, and herbes de provence in a medium bowl. In a small bowl whisk together the oil and water. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry until well combined (I find a fork works best for this). Press the dough into a 9-inch pie pan.

Bake for 20 minutes, until golden. Let cool before filling.

Filling:

1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, pressed
1 cup sun-dried tomatoes (not packed in oil), soaked and chopped
1 tsp dried oregano
1 bunch kale, finely chopped
3 eggs
1/2 cup parmesan
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 375ºF.

Put the sun-dried tomatoes in a medium bowl and cover with boiling water. Let sit 7-10 minutes.

Sauté onion in olive oil until translucent, about five minutes. Add tomatoes, garlic, and oregano and cook for another five minutes. Add kale and cook for another 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly, until kale is bright green. Remove from heat.

In a large bowl, beat the eggs and stir in the parmesan. Add the kale-tomato mixture and salt and pepper to taste. Pour mixture in pre-baked crust and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the pie is golden and the eggs are set.

Serve with a fresh green salad. Enjoy!