Black Olive and Swiss Chard Tart

Since one cannot live on doughnuts alone (contrary to the belief of some, like our friend Barbara), I decide to make a Swiss Chard and Black Olive Tart. This particular recipe is from the Traveling Through Provence Cookbook by Sarah Leah Chase.

This savory tart can be served hot or room temperature. Serve it alongside a green salad and a Côtes-du-Rhône for a scrumptious weeknight dinner or after eating too many homemade doughnuts.

Pastry:
1 ¼ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 ½ tablespoons minced fresh rosemary
Pinch of sea or coarse salt
8 tablespoons (1 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
2 teaspoons Dijon Mustard
2-3 tablespoons ice water or more as needed

Make the pastry. Place the flour, rosemary, salt, and butter in a food processor and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Add the mustard and enough ice water so that the dough begins to form a ball as the machine is pulsed on and off. Gather the dough into a flat disk, wrap it in plastic, and refrigerate for a least 30 minutes.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out the chilled pastry dough to form a 12-13 inch circle. Transfer to an 11-inch tart pan and trim and crimp the edges decoratively. Spread the chard filling evenly in the tart shell. Return it to the refrigerator until ready to fill.

Filling:
1 large bunch Swiss Chard (about 1 lb), washed, stems, and thick center ribs removed, leaves patted dry
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon fresh thyme
Pinch of grated nutmeg
½to ¾ cup freshly grated Gruyère Cheese
2 large eggs
½ cup light cream or half and half
Sea or Coarse salt
1 ½ cups pitted Nyons or Kalamata olives, cut in half
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons pine nuts

Preheat oven to 400°F.

To make the filling. Cut the Swiss Chard leaves into ½-inch-wide strips. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and sauté until soft and translucent, 7-10 minutes. Add the garlic and thyme and cook until garlic is fragrant (about one minute). Add the chard and cook until the chard leaves have wilted and any water given off has evaporated, 5-7 minutes. Remove from the heat and gently mix in the cheese.

Beat the eggs and cream together in a mixing bowl, grate nutmeg over egg mixture, and set aside.

Spread the chard filling evenly in the tart shell. Pour the egg and cream mixture over the filling. Arrange the olive halves in concentric circles over the top, pressing lightly into the filling. Sprinkle the pine nuts in between the olives.

Bake the tart until the crust is golden and the filling is set, 30-40 minutes. Serve hot, warm or at room temperature.