Leek tart recipe
Shortcrust pastry with plenty of leeks sweated down in butter, then bound with an egg and cream mixture and baked – delicious.
Ingredients
For the shortcrust pastry- 200 g plain white flour, plus extra for rolling
- 0.5 tsp salt
- 60 g cold, unsalted butter, cubed
- 40 g cold lard or vegetable shortening, cubed
- 2 tbsp ice-cold water
- 75 g butter
- 1.2 kg leeks, cut in half lengthways, washed and cut into 1cm/0.5in slices
- 300 g full-fat crème fraîche
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 1 pinch freshly grated nutmeg
- 1 pinch each of salt and black pepper
Details
- Cuisine: French
- Recipe Type: Tart
- Difficulty: Medium
- Preparation Time: 30 mins
- Cooking Time: 90 mins
- Serves: 6
Step-by-step
- First make the pastry. Put the flour, salt, butter and lard in a food processor and process until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Transfer it to a bowl and add enough of the water to make a smooth but not sticky dough.
- Put the dough on a floured work surface and roll it out to a circle about 28cm/11in in diameter. Place the pastry in a 25cm/10in loose-bottomed fluted tart tin, then trim the edges and prick the base with a fork.
- Cover with cling film and refrigerate or freeze for at least 30 minutes.
- For the filling, melt the butter in a large shallow pan, add the leeks and leave them to sweat, uncovered, over a medium to low heat for 20–30 minutes until soft, stirring occasionally. If the leeks seem very watery after this time, cook until the liquid has reduced.
- Stir in the crème fraîche and beaten eggs, then season well with salt, pepper and nutmeg.
- Preheat the oven to 200°C/392°F/gas mark 6.
- Remove the pastry case from the fridge or freezer, line it with baking parchment and fill with baking beans. Bake it for about 10 minutes, then remove the paper and beans and continue to cook for another 4–5 minutes to allow the pastry base to dry out a little.
- Turn the oven down to 190°C/375°F/gas mark 5.
- Fill the pastry case with the leek mixture and season with a little black pepper.
- Bake the tart for 25–30 minutes, then serve warm or at room temperature.
This recipe is extracted from Rick Stein’s Secret France (BBC Books, £26). Photography by James Murphy.
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