Tourte de Blettes Sucrée (Monégasque Sweet Swiss Chard Pie)
Local name: Tourte de blettes sucrée
In short: A double-crust pie of Swiss chard, raisins, pine nuts and ground almonds in a buttery pastry, dusted with icing sugar, a sweet Riviera specialty. It takes about 1 h 35 min in total and makes 10 servings.
- Prep
- 50 min
- Cook
- 45 min
- Resting
- 1 h
- Total
- 1 h 35 min
- Servings
- 10
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 420 kcal
Tourte de blettes is a pie of the Riviera, and in Monaco it comes in a savory and a sweet version. The sweet one folds blanched Swiss chard with raisins, pine nuts, ground almonds and sugar, bakes it under a lid of buttery pastry and finishes it with icing sugar. The chard is mild, so it keeps the filling moist without tasting vegetal. Serve it as a dessert, at room temperature, with coffee or a glass of sweet wine.
Instructions
- Rub the butter into the flour, sugar and salt with your fingertips until the mixture looks like fine crumbs. Mix in the egg and just enough cold water to bring the dough together. Flatten into a disc, wrap and chill for 30 minutes.
- Soak the raisins in the rum or warm water for 20 minutes. Boil the chard leaves in a large pot of salted water for 2 minutes, then drain, cool under cold water and squeeze very dry in a clean cloth. Chop finely.
- Toast the pine nuts in a dry pan over medium heat for 3 minutes, until pale golden, shaking often.
- Heat the oven to 190°C (375°F). In a large bowl, beat the eggs with the sugar, then mix in the chard, drained raisins, pine nuts, ground almonds, lemon zest and salt.
- Roll two thirds of the dough on a floured counter to about 3 mm (1/8 in) thick and line a 24 cm (9 1/2 in) pie dish, letting the edges hang over. Spoon in the filling and level the top.
- Roll out the remaining dough to a 26 cm (10 in) round and lay it over the filling. Press the edges together, trim and crimp. Brush with the egg yolk mixture and cut 3 small slits in the top for steam.
- Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until deep golden. Cool in the dish for 30 minutes.
- Dust with icing sugar through a fine sieve and serve warm or at room temperature.
Tips
- Squeeze the blanched chard until no more water comes out. Wet chard makes the filling loose and the bottom crust soggy.
- For a savory version, leave out the sugar, raisins and almonds, and add 150 g (3/4 cup) of cooked rice, 100 g (1 cup) of grated Parmesan and a softened chopped onion.
Questions and answers
Is tourte de blettes sweet or savory?
Both versions exist on the Riviera. The savory one is a starter with chard, rice and Parmesan, and the sweet one is a dessert with raisins, pine nuts and almonds.
Does the sweet chard pie taste of vegetables?
Only faintly. Blanched chard is mild, and the sugar, almonds, raisins and lemon zest dominate. The chard mostly adds moisture and a soft texture, much like grated zucchini in a cake.
Can I use spinach instead of chard?
Yes. Use the same weight, blanch it for 1 minute and squeeze it very dry, since spinach holds even more water than chard.
How long does it take to make Tourte de Blettes Sucrée (Monégasque Sweet Swiss Chard Pie)?
About 1 h 35 min in total: 50 min of preparation and 45 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Tourte de Blettes Sucrée (Monégasque Sweet Swiss Chard Pie)?
About 420 kcal per serving, with 9 g of protein, 48 g of carbohydrates and 21 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 420 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 9 g |
| Carbohydrates | 48 g |
| Fat | 21 g |
| Fiber | 3 g |
| Sugar | 21 g |
| Sodium | 150 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
