I’ve made a zillion types of savory tarts and quiches. Once, in a pinch, I even threw Brussels sprouts into a quiche–and I’ve been making that dish ever since. But I have to say, I’ve never made a carrot tart. I guess it would be a natural for Bugs Bunny, but it just never occurred to me. This recipe from Eating Well was an eye-opener for me, and uses one of my favorite pastry tricks of blending herbs right into the crust. And it’s great if you’re watching your fat intake as it employs low-fat dairy without sacrificing taste. (Personally, I never really warmed up to reduced-fat cheese–but it works perfectly in this recipe!)

Crust
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole-wheat flour
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh tarragon leaves or 1/2 teaspoon dried
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive or canola oil
1/4 cup low-fat plain yogurt

Filling
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive or canola oil
1 cup thinly sliced red onion
1 1/2 cups grated carrots
2 tablespoons dry sherry (see Ingredient Note) or rice vinegar, divided
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/2 cup shredded reduced-fat Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup low-fat plain yogurt
1/2 cup low-fat milk
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh tarragon or 3/4 teaspoon dried
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1. Preheat oven to 350F.

2. To prepare crust: Lightly coat a 9- to 10-inch tart pan with oil. Place all-purpose flour, whole-wheat flour, tarragon and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a food processor; pulse to combine. Add butter one piece at a time, pulsing once or twice after each addition, until incorporated. Add 1/4 cup oil and 1/4 cup yogurt and pulse just until the dough starts to come together. Transfer the dough to the prepared pan (it will be crumbly), spread evenly and press firmly into the bottom and all the way up the sides to form a crust.

3. Bake the crust until set but not browned, about 15 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack.

4. To prepare filling: Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in carrots and 1 tablespoon sherry (or rice vinegar) and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat. Spread mustard over the crust. Sprinkle with Cheddar, then evenly spread the carrot mixture in the tart shell.

5. Whisk 1/2 cup yogurt, milk, eggs, tarragon, the remaining 1 tablespoon sherry (or rice vinegar), 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Place the tart pan on a baking sheet and pour in the filling. Bake the tart until the filling is firm and the edges are golden brown, 40 to 45 minutes. Let cool for 15 minutes before slicing. Serve warm or chilled.

Ingredient note: Sherry is a type of fortified wine originally from southern Spain. Don’t use the “cooking sherry” sold in many supermarkets–it can be surprisingly high in sodium. Instead, purchase dry sherry that’s sold with other fortified wines in your wine or liquor store.

Recipe Nutrition:
Per serving: 304 calories; 20 g fat (7 g saturated fat, 9g mono unsaturated fat); 75 mg cholesterol; 24 g carbohydrates; 8 g protein; 2 g fiber; 403 mg sodium; 211 mg potassium

Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin A (80% daily value), Calcium (16% dv).

1 1/2 Carbohydrate Servings

Exchanges: 1 starch, 1 vegetable, 4 fat

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