Helloooooo! Isn’t this weather outrageous, it really is starting to feel like the seasons have changed, (yesterday I even went for my first swim, brief but fabulous) long may it last – I don’t know about you, but the idea that summer, Christmas and the end of 2020 are not far away is pretty bloody appealing! What a year right? For me it has been huge…moving house, becoming editor of dish magazine, and publishing my second cookbook, Stuck Together (available via the shop tab above). All with lockdowns and my sons (can’t call them men/boys any more…they are totally grown up!) moving in with me. It has been a sometimes exhausting, sometimes exhilarating year, I expect it’s the same for you.
Anyhoo, I am so glad to have a perfect summery recipe for you featuring Aged Havarti cheese and caramelised onion – a wee tart for your long weekend dinner/lunchy pleasure. I know a lot of people get freaked out at the idea of making pastry, but it really is worth giving it a crack – it is way easier than you think, and tastes fantastic. However, if you really can’t be faffed store-bought savoury short-crust pastry will also work. The tart itself is all cheesy, oniony deliciousness which is complimented perfectly by a pear, walnut and watercress salad with its sharp/sweet dressing.
This post was sponsored by the lovely people at Castello.
pastry:
1 1/4 cups plain flour
90g butter, chopped
1/4 cup grated Castello Aged Havarti
1/4 cup walnuts
1 egg yolk
1-2 tsp iced water
filling:
1 1/4 cups grated Castello Aged Havarti
1 cup cream
3 eggs
1 egg yolk
sea salt & freshly ground black pepper
2/3 cup caramelised onion
salad:
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 teaspoons seed mustard
2 teaspoons runny honey
2 cups watercress or rocket
1 pear, sliced
1/4 cup chopped toasted walnuts
For the pastry, pulse the flour, butter and Aged Havarti in a food processor until the mix resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add the walnuts and egg yolk andย water and pulse to combine. Tip out onto the bench and press together into a dough round. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for 10 minutes. Preheat the oven to 180หC . When the pastry has rested, roll it out on a lightly floured bench into a circle wide enough to line a deep 20cm loose-bottomed tart tin. Press the pastry into the tin and line the base and sides with baking paper and fill with baking beans or raw rice. Cook for 10 minutes, remove baking paper and weights, and continue cooking for a further 10 minutes while you prepare the rest of the filling.
Put 1 cup of the grated Aged Havarti in a food processor with the eggs,ย yolk and cream and season with salt and pepper. Whiz to combine. Once the pastry has cooked as described above, sprinkle the base with the remaining cheese, spread over the caramelised onion and pour over the whizzed cheese, eggs and cream. Reduce the oven temperature to 160หC and cook a further 25-30 minutes until golden. Rest for 10 minutes before removing from the tin and serve with the pear and cress salad.
For the salad , pop the oil, vinegar, mustard and honey in a small jar and shake to combine (Or whisk together if you fancy). Arrange the watercress and pears, drizzle with dressing and sprinkle with nuts. This salad makes a great side without the tart, with the addition of 30grams of shaved Aged Havarti.
serves 4 for lunch, 2 for dinner
Hello.
Sounds delish, the method refers to bacon but isn’t on the ingredients list. How much do you need?
Apologies Laura, the recipe has now been updated! ๐
Hi Sarah read your latest recipe. Couple questions there is no bacon in ingredient list so how much bacon is needed for filling? Also is one cup of grated cheese in filling list is to go into filling and the other 1/4 cup is for bottom of cooked pastry? Cheers
Apologies Sam – the recipe has now been updated! ๐
Thanks for more inspiration from your kitchen. Congrats on great DomPost article too.
Thanks so much Anastacia! ๐
Thnx!