Tourte de Blettes (Swiss Chard and Apple Pastry) Recipe

Tourte de Blettes (Swiss Chard and Apple Pastry)

Serves 6

A specialty from Nice, in the south of France, this dessert surprises anyone outside of Provence or Italy (where they make a similar sweet), because few people think of putting greens in a tart.

7 cups roughly chopped Swiss chard leaves, inner stems removed (1 ½ lb.)
⅔ cup part-skim ricotta cheese
½ cup confectioners’ sugar, plus more for sprinkling
½ cup plus 1 tsp. egg substitute, divided
½ cup low-fat milk
⅓ cup dried currants
⅓ cup plus 1 Tbs. sliced toasted almonds
⅛ tsp. ground nutmeg
1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed (½ 17.3-oz. pkg.)
1 Fuji apple, peeled, cored, and cut into ¼-inch slices

Preheat oven to 375°F. Blanch Swiss chard in large pot of boiling water 15 seconds, or until wilted. Drain, and rinse under cold water. Squeeze out excess liquid. Set aside.
Combine ricotta and confectioners’ sugar in bowl. Whisk in 1/2 cup egg substitute and milk. Add chard, currants, 1/3 cup almonds, and nutmeg.
Cut pastry sheet in half. Roll each half into 10- x 9-inch rectangle on floured work surface. Place 1 piece puff pastry over 8-inch-square nonstick baking pan, and press into sides of pan. Spoon in chard mixture, and arrange apple slices on top. Place remaining piece of pastry on top of apples, and roll edges to seal. Brush with remaining 1 tsp. egg substitute, and sprinkle with remaining 1 Tbs. almonds.
Prick pastry top with knife to vent. Bake 45 minutes. Cover with foil, and bake 45 minutes more, or until pastry is golden. Cool on wire rack, and sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar before serving.