This is a simple recipe for a cheesy and pickly tart that you can enjoy for your dinner (with a simple side salad) or maybe just have a slice for your tea. You can, of course, make your own shortcrust pastry, but frankly life is too short and ready-made will do just fine! You will need a 23cm (9″ in old money) loose bottomed flan tin.
Ingredients
- 350g Shortcrust Pastry
- 1 tsp Paprika
- 4 medium Eggs
- 150ml Whole Milk
- 200g Sandwich Pickle (small chunks are better)
- 250g Mature Cheddar Cheese (grated)
- Plain flour to dust the work surface when you roll out the pastry
Preparation Method
- Dust a work surface with a little flour and roll out the pastry. If you are using ready-made just unroll it. Sprinkle over the paprika and then knead the dough for a couple of minutes to incorporate the paprika. Wrap the pastry in cling film and chill in the fridge for at least 15 minutes
- Preheat the oven to 180℃, 160°C Fan, Gas Mark 4 and put a baking tray in it to heat up
- Dust the work surface with a little more flour and roll the pastry out to a thickness of about a pound coin in a circle that will easily cover the flan tin. Press the pastry carefully into the edges and leave a bit overhanging
- Line the pastry with baking paper and fill with ceramic baking beans to over the base. It is often easier if you scrunch the baking paper up first and then spread it out, it will fill the tin more easily. If you don’t have ceramic baking beans, rice or lentils work just as well. Put the tin in the oven on the baking tray you put in earlier and bake for 25 minutes. Then, remove the paper and baking beans (or rice or lentils) and bake for about 15 minutes more until it is cooked through and golden
- Whilst the tart case cooks, mix the beaten eggs with the milk. When the tart case is cooked and has cooled, line the base of the tart with the pickle and then sprinkle over the grated cheddar. Pour the egg mixture over the top and put the whole tray back in the oven on the middle shelf for 25-30 minutes. The filling is set when there is a very slight wobble in the middle.
- Once the tart has cooled enough, cut off the excess pastry using a sharp serrated knife. Leave it to cool in the tin for 30 minutes and then transfer it to a cooling rack to cool completely. The tart is best served cold the next day, so it is ideal for our show!