Discovered in ‘The Contented Cook’ – Xanthe Clay –Serves 8
For the Pastry:
- 200g flour
- 100g butter
- leaves from a large handful of fresh thyme sprigs
- 2 eggs, separated
- Pinch of salt
For the Filling:
- 6 medium leeks, cut into slices 5mm thick
- 60g butter
- 425ml double cream
- 6 egg yolks
- 200g goats’ cheese
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
Put the flour, butter, thyme leaves and salt into a food processor and pulse until blended. Add the egg yolks and pulse again, until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. You’ll probably need part or all of one of the reserved egg whites. Blitz again. Bring the dough together, wrap in cling film and chill for 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 200ºC/Gas Mark 6/400ºF.
Roll out the pastry between sheets of cling film and line a 30cm flan tin. Reserve the scraps. Chill again.
Prick the base and bake ‘blind’ for 15 minutes. Remove the beans. If you have any cracks, patch with the reserved pastry scraps and brush with egg white. Return to the oven for 5 minutes. You are looking for the pastry case to be cooked through and a gentle brown in colour.
Lower the egg temperature to 180ºC/Gas Mark 4/350ºF.
Slice the leek into 5mm rings and soak for about 30 minutes in a bowl of cold water. Swish it about to dislodge any dirt. Drain and dry in a salad spinner.
Melt the butter in a large frying pan, add the leeks and cook until soft. There will be a fair amount of liquid, cook until it has all evaporated, then allow to cool.
Whisk together the egg yolks, cream, salt and freshly ground black pepper, then add the leeks.
Pour into your cooked pastry case, taking care to spread the leeks evenly across the base. Add the goats cheese.
Bake for 25 minutes, until the tart is golden but still maintaining a slight wobble. It will firm up as it cools.
(Aga: there’s no need to bake ‘blind’. Cook on the floor of the Roasting Oven until the pastry is cooked and transfer to the Simmering Oven until the tart has that lovely ‘wobble’.)
Best served warm or at room temperature.
Eat.