Spelt pastry has a gentle nuttiness that works well with bold, savoury fillings. Pair it with miso-glazed carrots and you get contrast in every bite – earthy, slightly sweet, a little funky from the miso.
The filling is straightforward. Carrots roast in a mix of white miso, butter, and honey until the edges caramelise and the centres turn soft. A thin layer of whipped ricotta on the pastry base keeps everything anchored.
This tart works as a light main with a green salad, or as a substantial starter for four. You can blind-bake the shell and roast the carrots ahead of time, then assemble and finish in the oven just before serving.
Spelt flour gives the crust a shorter, more crumbly texture than plain wheat. It’s less elastic, so handle it lightly and chill the dough before rolling.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Spelt crust stays crisp without blind-baking weights
- Miso butter caramelises carrots with minimal effort
- Filling and pastry can both be prepped a day ahead
- Works warm from the oven or at room temperature
Ingredient Notes
- Spelt flour: Use white spelt for a more tender crust, or wholegrain spelt for extra texture and fibre. Wholegrain absorbs more liquid, so add 1-2 tsp cold water if the dough feels dry.
- White miso paste: White (shiro) miso is mild and slightly sweet, making it ideal here. Yellow miso works but gives a stronger, saltier result – use 10 g less if substituting.
- Unsalted butter: Used in both the pastry and the miso glaze. Keep it cold and cubed for the pastry. For the glaze, it melts into the miso at room temperature. Vegan butter works in both.
- Carrots: Medium carrots around 150-180 g each roast evenly when halved lengthways. Thin heritage or rainbow carrots work well and look attractive in the finished tart.
- Ricotta: Full-fat ricotta gives a creamier base layer. Drain it in a fine-mesh sieve for 20 minutes if it looks wet. Substitute with soft goat’s cheese for a sharper flavour.
- Runny honey: Balances the salty miso in the glaze. Maple syrup is a direct substitute and keeps the tart vegan if you also swap the butter and ricotta.
Spelt Miso Butter Roasted Carrot Tart
Description
The spelt shortcrust holds its shape without shrinking, while the miso butter gives the roasted carrots a savoury-sweet depth that ricotta alone can't match.
Ingredients
Spelt Pastry
Miso Butter Carrots
Ricotta Base and Topping
Instructions
Make the Spelt Pastry
- Combine the spelt flour and salt in a food processor or large bowl. Add the cold cubed butter and rub together until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs with no large butter pieces visible.
- Add the egg yolk and 2 tbsp cold water. Mix until the dough just comes together, adding the third tbsp of water only if it feels dry. Shape into a flat disc, wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Heat the oven to 200 C / 390 F. Roll the chilled dough on a lightly floured surface to a circle about 3 mm thick. Carefully lift it into a 23 cm loose-bottomed tart tin, pressing into the edges. Trim the excess.
- Prick the base all over with a fork. Line with baking paper and fill with baking beans or uncooked rice. Blind-bake for 15 minutes, then remove the paper and beans and bake for a further 5 minutes until the base looks dry and pale golden. Set aside.
Roast the Miso Butter Carrots
- Reduce the oven to 190 C / 375 F. Mix the miso paste, softened butter, honey, rice vinegar, and sesame oil together in a bowl until smooth.
- Lay the carrot halves cut-side up on a large rimmed baking sheet. Spoon and spread the miso butter mixture evenly over each carrot, coating the cut surfaces well.
- Roast for 25-30 minutes, turning the carrots cut-side down halfway through, until the edges are deeply golden and caramelised and a knife tip passes through without resistance.
Assemble and Finish the Tart
- In a small bowl, mix the drained ricotta with the lemon zest, black pepper, and salt until smooth.
- Spread the ricotta mixture evenly across the blind-baked pastry base in a layer about 1 cm thick.
- Arrange the roasted miso butter carrots over the ricotta, cut-side up, fitting them snugly in a single layer.
- Beat the egg and brush it over the exposed pastry edges. Return the tart to the oven at 190 C / 375 F and bake for 15 minutes until the pastry edge is golden and the ricotta is just set.
- Remove from the oven and rest for 10 minutes. Scatter fresh thyme leaves and toasted sesame seeds over the top before slicing.
Nutrition Facts
Servings 4
- Amount Per Serving
- Calories 480kcal
- % Daily Value *
- Total Fat 27g42%
- Saturated Fat 14g70%
- Cholesterol 110mg37%
- Sodium 680mg29%
- Potassium 480mg14%
- Total Carbohydrate 42g15%
- Dietary Fiber 6g24%
- Sugars 10g
- Protein 14g29%
- Vitamin A 14000 IU
- Vitamin C 8 mg
- Calcium 150 mg
- Iron 3 mg
- Vitamin D 20 IU
- Vitamin E 2 mg
- Vitamin K 18 mcg
- Thiamin 0.3 mg
- Riboflavin 0.3 mg
- Niacin 3 mg
- Vitamin B6 0.4 mg
- Folate 55 mcg
- Vitamin B12 0.4 mcg
- Phosphorus 220 mg
- Magnesium 45 mg
- Zinc 1.8 mg
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Note
Additional Notes
- Chill spelt dough for at least 30 minutes - skipping this causes shrinkage during baking.
- Drain ricotta in a sieve for 20 minutes before use if it looks watery.
- Roast carrots on a large sheet pan with space between them for even caramelisation.
- Blind-bake the spelt shell for 15 minutes before adding filling to keep the base crisp.
- Taste the miso glaze before coating the carrots - miso brands vary in saltiness.
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