Shaved Carrot Tart with RicottaArrange thinly sliced carrots in a colorful ombré pattern for a show-stealing savory pastry.

Piles of colorful carrot ribbons—which skew more savory than sweet, thanks to a lemony coriander-flecked dressing—top this tart from cookbook author and former SAVEUR editor Stacy Adimando. The keys to the flaky crust: keep the butter as cold as possible, and don’t overwork the dough. If you can track down heirloom carrots in a variety of hues, use them here for pizzazz. Leftovers of the tart can be refrigerated and recrisped in the oven the next day.

Featured in “Are Root Vegetables the Root of Civilization?”

Serves
8
Time
1 hour 25 minutes

Ingredients

For the dough:

2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
½ tsp. kosher salt
¼ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
12 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into ½-in. cubes and chilled
½ cup ice water

For the topping:

2 cups ricotta
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided, plus more as needed
¾ tsp. kosher salt, divided
Pinch finely grated lemon zest, plus ½ cup fresh lemon juice (from about 4 lemons)
10 medium carrots, preferably a mix of colors, with greens attached (1½ lb.)
1 Tbsp. plus 1 tsp. coriander seeds, coarsely ground in a mortar and pestle or spice grinder, or crushed with a rolling pin
½ tsp. ground caraway seeds
Cilantro leaves, for serving
Flaky salt, for serving

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Instructions

Step 1

Make the dough: To the bowl of a food processor, add the flour, salt, and black pepper, and pulse to combine. Add the butter and process until only pea-size crumbs remain, 10–15 pulses. Add 1 tablespoon of the ice water and process until just incorporated, 2–4 pulses. Repeat this process, adding 1 tablespoon of the ice water at a time, until the dough holds together when pinched.

Step 2

Turn out the dough onto a clean work surface and form into a ball. Wrap in plastic, then press into a 1-inch-thick square. Refrigerate for 1–24 hours.

Step 3

Make the topping: To the clean bowl of a food processor, add the ricotta, 2 tablespoons of the oil, ½ teaspoon of the salt, and the lemon zest, and process until smooth. If the mixture looks dry, add up to 1 tablespoon more oil. Cover and refrigerate.

Step 4

Cut off the carrot greens, wash them thoroughly under cold water to remove any grit, and set aside 2 tablespoons of the leaves for garnish (reserve the remaining greens for another use). Using a vegetable peeler, peel the carrots (discard the peels), then shave them into thick ribbons. If using various colors of carrots, separate by hue; set aside.

Step 5

In a large bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, coriander, caraway, and the remaining oil and salt; set aside.

Step 6

Line a baking sheet with parchment. Position a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to 400°F. On a floured surface, roll the dough into a 11-by-16-inch rectangle. Use a knife to square off the edges if desired. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet and refrigerate until firm, 10 minutes. Using a spoon or offset spatula, spread the ricotta mixture evenly over the crust, leaving a ½-inch border. Using a pastry brush, brush the border lightly with oil. Bake until the crust is lightly golden, 16–18 minutes.

Step 7

Remove the tart from the oven. To the bowl with the dressing, add one quarter of the carrot ribbons and toss to coat, squeezing lightly to allow any excess liquid to drip back into the bowl. Pile the carrots atop one quadrant of the ricotta, then repeat this process with the remaining carrots (for an ombré effect, overlap the colors slightly). Reserve any remaining dressing.

Step 8

Return the tart to the oven and bake, rotating the pan halfway through, until the crust is golden brown, 10–12 minutes more. Drizzle the carrots with the reserved dressing. Sprinkle with the cilantro, reserved carrot greens, and flaky salt. Cut into slices and serve warm or at room temperature.

Make the dough: To the bowl of a food processor, add the flour, salt, and black pepper, and pulse to combine. Add the butter and process until only pea-size crumbs remain, 10–15 pulses. Add 1 tablespoon of the ice water and process until just incorporated, 2–4 pulses. Repeat this process, adding 1 tablespoon of the ice water at a time, until the dough holds together when pinched.
Turn out the dough onto a clean work surface and form into a ball. Wrap in plastic, then press into a 1-inch-thick square. Refrigerate for 1–24 hours.
Make the topping: To the clean bowl of a food processor, add the ricotta, 2 tablespoons of the oil, ½ teaspoon of the salt, and the lemon zest, and process until smooth. If the mixture looks dry, add up to 1 tablespoon more oil. Cover and refrigerate.
Cut off the carrot greens, wash them thoroughly under cold water to remove any grit, and set aside 2 tablespoons of the leaves for garnish (reserve the remaining greens for another use). Using a vegetable peeler, peel the carrots (discard the peels), then shave them into thick ribbons. If using various colors of carrots, separate by hue; set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, coriander, caraway, and the remaining oil and salt; set aside.
Line a baking sheet with parchment. Position a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to 400°F. On a floured surface, roll the dough into a 11-by-16-inch rectangle. Use a knife to square off the edges if desired. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet and refrigerate until firm, 10 minutes. Using a spoon or offset spatula, spread the ricotta mixture evenly over the crust, leaving a ½-inch border. Using a pastry brush, brush the border lightly with oil. Bake until the crust is lightly golden, 16–18 minutes.
Remove the tart from the oven. To the bowl with the dressing, add one quarter of the carrot ribbons and toss to coat, squeezing lightly to allow any excess liquid to drip back into the bowl. Pile the carrots atop one quadrant of the ricotta, then repeat this process with the remaining carrots (for an ombré effect, overlap the colors slightly). Reserve any remaining dressing.
Return the tart to the oven and bake, rotating the pan halfway through, until the crust is golden brown, 10–12 minutes more. Drizzle the carrots with the reserved dressing. Sprinkle with the cilantro, reserved carrot greens, and flaky salt. Cut into slices and serve warm or at room temperature.

Recipes

Shaved Carrot Tart with Ricotta

Arrange thinly sliced carrots in a colorful ombré pattern for a show-stealing savory pastry.

Serves
8
Time
1 hour 25 minutes

PHOTO: PAOLA + MURRAY • FOOD STYLING: JASON SCHREIBER • PROP STYLING: CARLA GONZALEZ-HART

By Stacy Adimando

Updated on February 24, 2024

Ingredients

For the dough:

2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
½ tsp. kosher salt
¼ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
12 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into ½-in. cubes and chilled
½ cup ice water

For the topping:

2 cups ricotta
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided, plus more as needed
¾ tsp. kosher salt, divided
Pinch finely grated lemon zest, plus ½ cup fresh lemon juice (from about 4 lemons)
10 medium carrots, preferably a mix of colors, with greens attached (1½ lb.)
1 Tbsp. plus 1 tsp. coriander seeds, coarsely ground in a mortar and pestle or spice grinder, or crushed with a rolling pin
½ tsp. ground caraway seeds
Cilantro leaves, for serving
Flaky salt, for serving

ADVERTISEMENTAD

By Stacy Adimando

Updated on February 24, 2024

Featured in “Are Root Vegetables the Root of Civilization?”

Ingredients

For the dough:

2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
½ tsp. kosher salt
¼ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
12 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into ½-in. cubes and chilled
½ cup ice water

For the topping:

2 cups ricotta
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided, plus more as needed
¾ tsp. kosher salt, divided
Pinch finely grated lemon zest, plus ½ cup fresh lemon juice (from about 4 lemons)
10 medium carrots, preferably a mix of colors, with greens attached (1½ lb.)
1 Tbsp. plus 1 tsp. coriander seeds, coarsely ground in a mortar and pestle or spice grinder, or crushed with a rolling pin
½ tsp. ground caraway seeds
Cilantro leaves, for serving
Flaky salt, for serving

ADVERTISEMENTAD

Instructions

Step 1

Step 2

Turn out the dough onto a clean work surface and form into a ball. Wrap in plastic, then press into a 1-inch-thick square. Refrigerate for 1–24 hours.

Step 3

Step 4

Step 5

In a large bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, coriander, caraway, and the remaining oil and salt; set aside.

Step 6

Step 7

Step 8

Make the dough: To the bowl of a food processor, add the flour, salt, and black pepper, and pulse to combine. Add the butter and process until only pea-size crumbs remain, 10–15 pulses. Add 1 tablespoon of the ice water and process until just incorporated, 2–4 pulses. Repeat this process, adding 1 tablespoon of the ice water at a time, until the dough holds together when pinched.
Turn out the dough onto a clean work surface and form into a ball. Wrap in plastic, then press into a 1-inch-thick square. Refrigerate for 1–24 hours.
Make the topping: To the clean bowl of a food processor, add the ricotta, 2 tablespoons of the oil, ½ teaspoon of the salt, and the lemon zest, and process until smooth. If the mixture looks dry, add up to 1 tablespoon more oil. Cover and refrigerate.
Cut off the carrot greens, wash them thoroughly under cold water to remove any grit, and set aside 2 tablespoons of the leaves for garnish (reserve the remaining greens for another use). Using a vegetable peeler, peel the carrots (discard the peels), then shave them into thick ribbons. If using various colors of carrots, separate by hue; set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, coriander, caraway, and the remaining oil and salt; set aside.
Line a baking sheet with parchment. Position a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to 400°F. On a floured surface, roll the dough into a 11-by-16-inch rectangle. Use a knife to square off the edges if desired. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet and refrigerate until firm, 10 minutes. Using a spoon or offset spatula, spread the ricotta mixture evenly over the crust, leaving a ½-inch border. Using a pastry brush, brush the border lightly with oil. Bake until the crust is lightly golden, 16–18 minutes.
Remove the tart from the oven. To the bowl with the dressing, add one quarter of the carrot ribbons and toss to coat, squeezing lightly to allow any excess liquid to drip back into the bowl. Pile the carrots atop one quadrant of the ricotta, then repeat this process with the remaining carrots (for an ombré effect, overlap the colors slightly). Reserve any remaining dressing.
Return the tart to the oven and bake, rotating the pan halfway through, until the crust is golden brown, 10–12 minutes more. Drizzle the carrots with the reserved dressing. Sprinkle with the cilantro, reserved carrot greens, and flaky salt. Cut into slices and serve warm or at room temperature.