Leek and blue cheese tart

This recipe is a staple favourite in our household. This is a more creamy textured tart and not like a quiche at all. This is not an everyday dish due to all the dairy fats used in this tart, but once in a while or even when you want to impress your friends for an al fresco dining, this tart will always without fail get you compliments on your cooking. I speak from personal experience.

Ingredients:

• a pack of chilled or defrosted puff pastry

• 4 eggs

• 400ml double cream

• 3 medium leeks

• 4 spring onions

• a small handful of chives (optional)

• 125g Danish blue cheese

Method:

1. Grease and line your preferred tart tin, I use a 23 cm/9 in tin with a high rim. Preheat oven to 200℃.

2. Slice leeks in half length wise and chop half a centimetre thick. Chop the spring onion in the same way. You may chop the chives at this point if you choose to use them, they are mild in flavour and add an extra decorative pop of green.

3. In a pan sauté the leeks and spring onions in a little bit of oil until they are soft and cooked through.

4. In a medium bowl whisk the eggs until bubbles form. Add the cream and whisk again. Crumble in the blue cheese and then add the cooked onions.

5. Roll out the puff pastry about 2 mm thick. If you’re using chilled pastry I still give it a bit of a roll before placing in the tin, however it is not wide enough for the shape so I use the scrap dough to patch it up, so far I’ve not had any leaks, so make sure the pastry is sufficiently overlapping. Place into the tin and cut away the excess from the edges.

6. If you’re using an AGA skip to stage 7. However if you’re using a conventional oven you may need to pre-bake the pastry a little to avoid raw dough. Pre-bake for a bout 10 minutes, make sure the pastry begins to puff up before taking out of the oven.

7. Pour the cream and leek mixture into the pastry case, sprinkle the chives on top (optional) and bake until it starts to brown on top.

• AGA- 30 minutes on the bottom shelf of the grilling oven.

• Conventional oven- 25-30 minutes in the middle of the oven.

Once the tart is cooked, let it rest for five minutes before taking it out its from. Best served hot or warm.

Bon Appétit!

Tips and advice:

There is another cheese that is even milder in taste but still is a blue, it’s called the Shepherd’s Purse blue cheese. It can be found over at the cheesemongers counter.

You don’t have to use leeks in the tart, you can experiment with what you have in the fridge just keep the basic egg and cream mixture the same. I once had leftover chicken so added that and a fried onion. Another alternative is lardon or thick bacon, reminiscent of a quiche Lorraine.

Why not try making canapés. Just use a round cookie cutter larger in diameter than your muffin tin. Place the dough inside the shape, press the edges against the walls to make a border and then spoon the liquid mixture into each cup. Depending on the size, bake between 12-15 minutes.

When working with puff pastry always make sure it is cold, this will ensure that it will puff up as the butter melts to create those characteristic air pockets.