Courgette and Manchego Tart

13 09 2009

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Another way to use up some of the daily crop of courgettes. This makes enough tart to serve 4-6 people depending on what you have with it

2 tablespoons olive oil
3 courgettes – sliced
4 eggs
100g or so of manchego – grated
shortcrust pastry to line a flan dish – I usually do this as 6oz flour to 3oz butter, one egg yolk and a splash of water (apologies for the mixing of metric and imperial measurements)
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
salt and pepper

Start by frying the courgette slices in batches. Heat the oil in a large frying pan, when very hot, place the courgette slices in a single layer – careful as they can spit a little. When browned, turn over until brown on both sides. Place in a bowl and fry another layer until they are all done. Leave to cool.

While the courgettes are cooling, make the pastry. I just chuck it all the food processor, roll out, line a flan dish, then blind bake at 180C for about 15 minutes. The courgettes still carry a lot of water even after frying to it is essential to blind bake the pastry else you’ll have a very siggy base. Allow to cool a little, then spread the Dijon mustard evenly over the base.

Beat the 4 eggs, then add the courgettes and manchego. Season with salt and black pepper. Mix, pour into the pastry case and return to the oven for about 25 minutes until the eggs have set.


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Christmas Presents

15 06 2009

A friend of mine gave me a jar of peaches preserved in brandy for Christmas. They looked great so I left them on display in the kitchen. I wasn’t sure what to do with them so there they sat for six months on the shelf. Having invited friends for dinner I needed to plan a dessert. Something not too time-consuming. How about a prune and almond tart with Agen prunes soaked in brandy? Great idea, but having neither prunes nor brandy in the larder I thought I would try and make the same tart but with brandy soaked peaches instead.

This would also work well with pear halves (with or without the booze). Served warm straight out of the oven with ice cream, it didn’t last long.

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For the pastry
200g plain flour
100g butter – softened
1 large egg

Rub the butter and flour together to form a breadcrumb-like mxturee..Add the egg and knead gently to form a dough. Let te dooh rest for half an hour or so then roll it, line a flan dish with it, then blind bake at 200C for 20 minutes. Brush the base with a little egg.

For the filling
1 jar of preserved peach halves
50g ground almonds
50g caster sugar
200ml tub crème fraiche
1 egg

Drain the peaches and arrange them on the pastry base, flat side down.

Mix the almonds, sugar and crème fraiche, then add the egg. Pour over the peaches, then bake for about 45 minutes at 190C. Remove from tin and serve warm.


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Strawberries and Cream

7 06 2009

What better way to spend a summer Sunday afternoon than sitting by the klitchen window watching a thunderstorm while eating strawberry and cream (and chocolate) tart. I grow the strawberries in baskets down the side of the house. They are Elsanta which are the variety you would usually find in supermarkets. The taste, however, is no comparison. These were picked, washed and served all within the space of 30 minutes.

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Quantities below make about 8-10 small tarts
For the sweet pastry
180g plain flour
90g softened butter
50g icing sugar
a egg yolk

Combine the flour, sugar and butter in a food processor. When the mixture resembles breadcrumbs, add the egg yolk, then a little water to make a firm dough. Wrap in cling film and refrigerate for about 20 minutes.

Roll out dough on a floured surface and line small tart tins or one larger one. Keep the pastry nice and thin. Prick the bases all over with a fork, then bake at 180C for about 15 minutes until just starting to brown. remove from oven and allow to cool completely.

For the chocolate layer
100g good quality plain chocolate
1 tablespoon golden syrup

Melt these together then spread thinly over the base of each pastry case. Allow to cool and set.

For the filling
300ml double cream
½ teaspoon vanilla essence
2 tablespoons caster sugar

Place everything in a bowl and whisk together until the cream has thickened. Divide evenly between the chocolate lined pastry cases.

For the topping
ripe strawberries

slice the strawberries and place decoratively on top of the cream. Chill and serve.


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Simple Asparagus Tart

15 05 2009

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The disappointingly short English asparagus season is upon us once again and everywhere I look I see recipes for asparagus – grilled, baked, boiled, in risotto, in quiche, with pasta. Although this is hardly the most original recipe ever invented it is very simple, quick to make and delicious served alongside new potatoes and and a light watercress salad.

Boil the asparagus in water for a couple of minutes till tender then refresh under cold water.

Take a sheet of puff pastry. Place on a large baking sheet and gently score around the edge – about 1cm in from the edge with a knife. This will help the edge to rise around the filling creating a nice border to the tart. Then prick all over the base with a fork. Bake in the oven at 200C for about 10 minutes until it starts to brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly.

Now take a couple of knifefulls (is that a word?) of Boursin, Roule or similar soft cheese and smear over the centre rectangle of the pastry. Lay the asparagus neatly on top, then top the shavings of pecorino or parmesan. Drizzle a little olive oil over the top, salt, pepper and maybe a crushed dried chili. Brush the edges of the tart with a little milk or egg, then return to oven and bake until the cheese bubbles.


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