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Sweet Potato, Goat Cheese and Bacon Tart

by Savoring Italy

Sweet Potato, Goat Cheese and Bacon Tart

There are days that I plan ahead and I feel I’m on top of what is being made here during the week for dinner. Then there are days where it is getting close to the end of the day and I haven’t put much thought into dinner plans.

I tend to sway towards craving pizza or a savory tart on nights where there isn’t any thing too exciting in the works. Don’t get me wrong, I find pizzas and tarts to be extremely exciting. The topping and filling ideas are filled with endless possibilities.

Take for example this tart…sweet potatoes and goat cheese? Yes, not a likely combo. I know you may be thinking that. But can I tell you, not very likely, but really amazing. Bacon added to this combo? Oh, my! Wow!

Sweet Potato, Goat Cheese and Bacon Tart

Why didn’t I add zucchini to the title? Too many words and maybe it wouldn’t have the same appeal as the other parts of this recipe. Bacon.

I don’t make bacon very often. It’s usually used in a dish as an accent of flavor. For a good reason! Whenever I make it, it tends to sneak away from my dish where it’s cooling nicely…those little bacon thieves strike again!

Sweet Potato, Goat Cheese and Bacon Tart
I love to make this Julia galette dough recipe. It has cornmeal and sour cream and is just fantastic. Never lets me down and the texture is spectacular. I also sometimes use this Martha Stewart pie crust and it is so smooth made with a little cream cheese. You can choose whichever crust you’d like for this savory tart…either way it will be a winner. Or go ahead and use a ready-made crust.

The natural sweetness from the sweet potatoes, the saltiness from the bacon. Well, the every thing from the bacon. The subtle teases of goat cheese at the end of every bite. I did throw in some zucchini and it added absolutely no flavor to this powerful trifecta I had going on. I was being resourceful and using what I had on hand. And some nights, that’s when you create the most incredible dinner ideas…like this savory tart. So listen, you don’t like to make your own crusts? No problem! Use a ready-made crust. Don’t let the crust stop you from making this very easy and really delicious tart. I promise, sweet potatoes, goat cheese and bacon do belong together.

Sweet Potato, Goat Cheese and Bacon Tart
A pastry shell filled with eggs, goat cheese and bacon.

Sweet Potato, Goat Cheese and Bacon Tart

by Savoring Italy
Keywords: bake entree sweet potatoes bacon goat cheese

Ingredients

    pie shell ingredients (makes one 9-inch crust):

    • 2 teaspoons cold water
    • 1 teaspoon cold cider vinegar
    • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for surface
    • 1/2 teaspoon salt
    • 4 ounces (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
    • 4 ounces cold cream cheese, cut into small pieces

    filling ingredients:

    • 3 slices bacon
    • 1 Tablespoon olive oil
    • 1 small onion, chopped
    • 1 small sweet potato, peeled and sliced thin
    • 1 small zucchini, sliced thin
    • 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
    • 4 eggs
    • 1/2 cup cream
    • 1/2 cup milk
    • 4 Tablespoons goat cheese (or any other soft cheese)
    • salt and pepper to taste
    Instructions
    Preheat oven to 375 F. Combine water and vinegar in a small bowl. Combine flour and salt in another bowl. Using a pastry cutter or your fingers, cut butter and cream cheese into flour mixture until mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some larger pieces remaining.
    Add water mixture to dough in a slow, steady stream, stirring, until mixture just begins to hold together. (Alternatively, pulse ingredients in a food processor.) Turn out onto a piece of plastic wrap. Press dough into a disk. Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour or overnight.

    Filling Directions:

    Fry bacon until browned and nearly crisp, then scoop it out to drain on a paper towel. Throw out bacon grease, wipe out pan, and add olive oil. Add the onion and cook until soft and lightly colored (about 7 minutes). Be sure to stir the onions occasionally. Add the sweet potatoes, zucchini, and thyme (or rosemary) salt, and some crushed pepper. Cook for about another 7 minutes.
    While vegetables cook, whisk eggs with cream and milk. Stir in cooled onions, cheese and bacon.
    Roll dough to fit your chosen tart pan, then drape dough in pan. Neatly press dough up the sides of the pan and shape it. Set it on a sheet pan. Scatter vegetable mixture and part of the bacon crumbled over the tart (reserve rest of bacon to crumble on top when finished). Toss the goat cheese over the vegetables. Pour in the egg mixture. Place the tart pan over a foil lined cookie sheet.
    Bake for about 35-40 minutes or until the tart is golden brown and the filling is set. Check tart at about 30 minutes. If the tart shell is browning too much, cover the tart with foil paper for the rest of the baking time. Let tart cool before removing from tart pan or slice directly in the tart pan when warm.

    Notes:

    Martha Stewart’s pie crust recipe

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    Comments

    1. Helene D'souza says

      Your tart sounds amazing! I would go crazy for the topping, goat cheese, bacon and zucchini. Totally reminds me of warm summer days in Europe. Kind of miss that. 🙂

      Reply

    2. Renee says

      I would have never thought to use sweet potatoes and goat cheese together. It looks so good and I have to give it a try soon.

      Reply

    7. Paula says

      Though I'm not a fan of sweet potatoes, I'm pretty sure I could get past that, especially with all the delicious bacon in this tart.

      Reply

    8. Lisa says

      Sweet..salty/smoky, tangy…and even though the zucchini added no extra flavor due to the aforementioned three power flavors, it adds texture and it's good for you, right? 😉 This tart is spectacular, Lora! I love the sour cream in the crust! Another 'must try' xo

      Reply

    10. Muna Kenny says

      Why am I browsing through food blogs before dinner? I'm getting so hungry and I have to wait almost two hours. The filling and the crust are perfect Lora 🙂

      Reply

    11. Jamie says

      Now I have to try this combo, too. I love each ingredient individually, together it must be outrageously good! And so pretty! I also tend towards pizza or a savory tart when it's a lazy afternoon/evening…

      Reply

    12. Laurel says

      The directions say "whisk eggs with crème fraîche and milk" but the ingredients call for cream. Is either ok or am I missing a step?
      This sounds incredible!

      Reply

    13. cakeduchess says

      You could use crème fraîche and milk or heavy cream and milk. Either way it will be wonderful and creamy. Thank you and hope you enjoy it!:)

      Reply

    18. Monet says

      These are all my favorites in one tart. I LOVE goat cheese, and we always have sweet potatoes lying around the house. Lately, I've been craving bacon, so we actually have a package in our fridge too! This looks lovely Lora. Thank you so much for sharing!!

      Reply

    25. Nancy @ gottagetbaked says

      Lora, I adore tarts like these because of how wonderfully adaptable they are. You hit it out of the park with this flavour combo, girl. Your photos are gorgeous as always and I'm swooning over the perfection of your pastry. I haven't quite mastered making crusts and I can't wait to try this one using cream cheese.

      Reply

    30. Kate | Food Babbles says

      This tart sounds absolutely amazing! You reeled me in with goat cheese and bacon. I was a bit skeptical about the sweet potato but you totally sold me on it! And the zucchini sounds fantastic here too!! I will be making this very soon. Lovely!

      Reply

    31. Suzanne says

      This little tart sounds wonderful and I bet that crust is a sure thing too, I've got to try it out. Thanks Laura for the recipe and your photos are beautiful.

      Reply