

Ingredients
Goat Cheese Tart
- 700g all-purpose flour
- 200g hazelnut flour
- 600g butter, frozen and shredded
- 300g cold water
- 10g salt
- 5g sugar
- 453g Laura Chenel goat cheese
- 375g heavy cream
- 12g gold strength gelatin sheets
- 1.8g agar agar
- Salt, to taste
Beet Poached Figs
- 1000g homemade red beet juice, strained (pulp reserved)
- 200g black mission figs, ripe and firm
- Salt, to taste
Fig Leaf Oil
- 1 pound fig leaves, fresh and cleaned
- 500g grapeseed oil
Hazelnut Crunch
- 100g beet pulp (reserved from juicing), dehydrated
- 200g hazelnuts, cracked and chopped
- 60g sugar
- 3g salt
Goat Cheese Tart with Beet-Poached Fig
Serves:
8

Recipe courtesy of JOE SASTO, a Los Angeles-based chef and a 2018 Top Chef contender.
Ingredients
Goat Cheese Tart
- 700g all-purpose flour
- 200g hazelnut flour
- 600g butter, frozen and shredded
- 300g cold water
- 10g salt
- 5g sugar
- 453g Laura Chenel goat cheese
- 375g heavy cream
- 12g gold strength gelatin sheets
- 1.8g agar agar
- Salt, to taste
Beet Poached Figs
- 1000g homemade red beet juice, strained (pulp reserved)
- 200g black mission figs, ripe and firm
- Salt, to taste
Fig Leaf Oil
- 1 pound fig leaves, fresh and cleaned
- 500g grapeseed oil
Hazelnut Crunch
- 100g beet pulp (reserved from juicing), dehydrated
- 200g hazelnuts, cracked and chopped
- 60g sugar
- 3g salt
Instructions
Preparation:
- First, prepare the fig leaf oil (recipe follows).
- Next, prepare the goat cheese tart (recipe follows).
- While the goat cheese tart sets, prepare the hazelnut crunch (recipe follows).
- Finally, prepare the beet poached figs (recipe follows).
- To begin assembly, slice the tart and transfer to plates. Serve the hazelnut crunch next to the slice of tart and place a poached fig on top of the crunch.
Fig Leaf Oil Preparation:
- Over an open flame, ideally live fire using fig tree wood, quickly toast each side of the leaves until they are lightly browned around edges.
- While still warm, transfer to a blender and cover with the oil.
- Blend on high speed for 5 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 180ºF.
- Immediately transfer to a clean bowl set over an ice bath.
- Allow to cool completely and infuse overnight.
Goat Cheese Tart Preparation:
- In stand mixer, combine flour, hazelnut flour, salt, and sugar.
- On low speed, add the frozen butter.
- Mix until combined and the consistency is like wet sand. Do not over-mix or allow the butter to melt.
- Slowly drizzle in the cold water until the dough just comes together. Do NOT overwork the dough. You may not need all of the water.
- Once the dough just comes together, transfer to a floured work surface and shape into small rounds. Wrap the rounds in plastic wrap and transfer to the fridge to rest for 1 hour
- Once rested, roll out dough to 1/8-inch thickness and place into small tart pans.
- Dock the dough with a fork, and blind bake for 8-15 minutes at 350ºF until golden in color. Allow to cool completely.
- While the crust is cooling, prepare the goat cheese filling.
- First, bloom the gelatin in ice water and set aside.
- In a large sauce pot, heat the heavy cream to a simmer.
- Meanwhile, add the goat cheese to a blender. As soon as the heavy cream simmers, turn off the heat and pour the warm cream over the goat cheese.
- Blend on high speed until homogenous. Next, add the bloomed gelatin and agar agar to the warm mixture.
- Continue to blend until the temperature reaches 180ºF.
- Season with salt.
- While the tart filling is still hot, pour into pre-baked tart shells.
- As the goat cheese mixture begins to cool, add a few drops of the prepared fig leaf oil and swirl with a toothpick.
- Allow the tart to cool and set for 6 hours.
Hazelnut Crunch Preparation:
- In a wide nonstick pan, add the sugar and a few drops of water and turn on the heat to medium-high.
- Once the sugar has melted slightly, add the hazelnuts.
- With a spatula, stir constantly, as the nuts and sugar begin to caramelize.
- When the sugar is golden brown and the nuts are toasted, add the dehydrated beet pulp. Continue to stir for 1 more minute until everything is coated evenly.
- Transfer to a silpat lined baking tray and allow to cool completely before breaking up.
Beet Poached Figs Preparation:
- In a large, wide bottom sauté pan, add the beet juice and heat to a simmer.
- Slice the figs in half and remove the stems, being careful not to deform the figs.
- Gently place the figs into the simmering beet juice to poach for a few minutes.
- Carefully agitate and swirl the beet juice to promote even cooking.
- Season with salt to taste.
- Prepare a large hotel pan set on an ice bath.
- When the figs are just tender, carefully pour the figs and warm beet juice into the hotel pan.
- Allow the figs to cool in their own juices before serving.