Cheesy Leek Tart
A delicious vegetarian supper or a weekend brunch. Quick and easy to make and ready in just over an hour.
Print
Pin
Servings: people
Equipment
- 28cm (11 inch) loose bottom tart tin
- 1 large heavy based pan to cook the vegetables
Ingredients
Tart Filling - 450g (15.8 oz) Finely Sliced Vegetables
- 350 g leeks - approx three large leeks
- 1 small onion
- 1 banana chilli optional
- 3 cloves garlic
- 3 spring onions
- 1 tomato-sized piece of celeriac optional - replace with more leeks or onion
- 2 tsp Za'atar
- freshly ground black pepper
- ½ tsp lemon zest optional
- 40 g butter plus a dash of olive oil to saute the veg
- 150 g grated cheese - Cheddar, Gruyere or crumbled goat or blue cheese. Plus, extra cheese for the topping
- 1 small bunch chopped chives - to garnish optional
Creamy filling
- 200 ml cream
- 3 large eggs
- generous pinch salt
- freshly ground black pepper
Shortcrust pastry
- 260 g all-purpose flour
- 135 g cold butter cut into cubes
- 2 egg yolks in a tablespoon of iced water - whisked together
Makes: 28cm round
Instructions
Tart Filling
- Finely slice all the vegetables in a food processor or with a mandolin. In a large heavy-based pan and over low heat, add the butter and a dash of oil; when it starts to bubble, add the vegetables. Add the freshly ground black pepper and Za'atar. The veg should have plenty of room to cook gently, turning golden without becoming soggy or burned. While the veg is cooking, make the shortcrust pastry.
- Once the vegetables are soft, golden and translucent - this may take 20-25 minutes - turn off the heat and stir in the lemon zest and 150g of grated/crumbled cheese.
- Whisk together the cream, eggs, black pepper and a generous pinch of salt.
Shortcrust Pastry
- Whizz together the salt, butter and flour until you have fine breadcrumbs. Add the egg and iced water mixture and mix until it 'just' binds together. Pull it together into a ball and flatten it into a disk shape. Cover with cling film and leave to rest in the fridge for 20-30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 180 °C and finish preparing the vegetables.
Assembling the Tart
- Roll out the pastry, prick the base with a fork and bake blind, on the middle shelf, for 10 minutes.
- Fill the semi-baked tart shell with the vegetables and pour over the cream mixture, pressing down with a fork to ensure the cream is evenly distributed. Top with a handful of extra cheese.
- Bake for 25-30(*see notes) minutes or until golden brown.
- Leave to rest for 5-10 minutes before serving warm with mixed leaf salad - perhaps with apples and walnuts added and dressed with a classic mustardy Dijon vinaigrette.
Notes
*Baking Time; mine was perfectly cooked after 30 minutes, but if you are worried, turn the oven off and put the tart on the oven floor for another 4-5 minutes to ensure it's crisp and not soggy.