A tasty savoury tart from Phil Vickery in Monmouth, featuring locally-sourced, Welsh cheese.
Ingredients
For the pastry:
- 175 g6¼ oz plain flour
- Pinch of salt
- 80 g2¾ oz cold butter, diced
- 1 egg yolk, plus 1 egg for egg wash
- 1 tbsp cold water
For the filling:
- 30 butter
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 250 g8¾ oz leeks, washed and sliced
- 150 g5¼ oz onion, finely chopped
- 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
- 4 eggs, beaten
- 300 ml10½ fl oz double cream
- 150 g5¼ oz Caerphilly cheese
- Sea salt and cracked black pepper
For the hollandaise:
- 3 tbsp white wine vinegar
- 6 peppercorns
- 1 shallot, finely chopped
- 2 egg yolks
- 110 g4 oz butter, diced
- Lemon juice, to taste
- Sea salt and black pepper
For the beetroot salad:
- 5 medium beetroot
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
- A small bunch of flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped
Method: How to make Caerphilly leek tart
Preheat the oven to 180C/Gas 4.
First make the pastry. Place the flour and salt in a food processor, then add the butter. Pulse gently until the mixture has a consistency similar to breadcrumbs. Tip the ‘crumbs’ out onto a clean bowl then, using a fork, stir in the egg yolk. Add just enough water to bring the dough together, then wrap the pastry in cling film and chill for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, make the filling to the tart. Melt the butter and olive oil in a large frying pan. When the butter is starting to foam, add in the leeks, onion and garlic. Season well, then turn the heat down and cook these gently until completely soft. Set aside to cool.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs and cream. Stir through the grated cheese and season generously with sea salt and pepper.
Take the pastry out of the fridge and roll it out thinly, keeping a circular shape. Line a loose bottomed tart tin, prick the base of pastry with a fork, then chill for another 30 minutes.
While the pastry is chilling, start to make the beetroot salad. Wash the beetroot and trim off any leaves or stalks. Lay them out on a large square of foil, sprinkle with salt and drizzle with a little olive oil. Fold the foil around the beetroot to create a parcel and seal the edges well. Roast in the oven for 1 hour, or until the beetroot are tender.
Once they are cooked, carefully peel off the beetroot skins. Cut the beetroot into small wedges, then toss with the rest of the olive oil and the red wine vinegar. Season well, then set aside until serving.
Next line the empty pastry case with greaseproof paper or clingfilm and fill it with baking beans. Blind bake the pastry for 15-20 minutes.
Beat the extra egg to make an egg wash. Remove the tart case from the oven and pull out the baking beans and clingfilm. Brush a thin layer of egg wash all over the pastry, then return the case to the oven for a couple of minutes, and cook until evenly golden in colour.
Arrange the cooled leeks, onion and garlic over the base of the pastry case. Pour over the cream and egg mixture, then return the tart to the oven for 30 minutes, or until just set.
While the tart is cooking, make the hollandaise. Put the vinegar, peppercorns and shallot in a small saucepan and place over a high heat. Let the mixture reduce down until there is only a tablespoon of liquid left. Strain this into a bain-marie placed over a low heat. Whisk in the egg yolks then gradually start adding in the butter, a couple of pieces at a time. When the sauce is thick and glossy, squeeze in a little lemon juice and season well.
To serve: When the tart is cooked, remove from the oven and allow to cool a little. Spoon an even layer of hollandaise all over the top of the tart. Using a blow torch, glaze the surface of the hollandaise, allowing it to bubble up and turn golden (you could also put the tart under a hot grill to achieve this). Lastly, toss a handful of chopped parsley through the beetroot and serve it next to generous slices of the tart.
