TARTS

                             

 

                                                    SPINACH TART

1 puff pastry sheet, defrosted

2 tbsp olive oil

2 leeks, sliced lengthwise, thoroughly washed and chopped

1 onion peeled and chopped

2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

1 kg (2 lb) fresh spinach, washed, boiled in salted water and chopped

½ cup stoned Kalamata olives, sliced

500 g (1 lb) mild-tasting feta, chopped

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste, be sparing with the salt due to the feta

3 large eggs

2 tbsp chopped dill

Plain flour as needed

 

Sauté the leeks and onion in olive oil for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until wilted.  Stir in the garlic and sauté for 1 minute more.

 

Place the spinach in a bowl, add the olives and season to taste.  Meanwhile, combine the cheese and the eggs.  Add this mixture to the spinach and mix well.

 

Preheat the oven to 190 C (375 F) and place the puff pastry on a floured surface.  Roll out the pastry so that it is larger than the circumference of a tart dish.  Line the pastry sheet on the buttered tart dish.  Cut remove the excess pastry from the periphery to form a rim.  Fill the pastry shell with the spinach mixture and bake for about 45 minutes until the pastry is puffed and golden and the filling has set.  Remove from the oven and serve after ten minutes.

 

                            

                                                   CHICKEN TART

Crust:

250 g wholemeal flour

2 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp Greek yoghurt

2 tbsp cold water

Salt and freshly ground white pepper to taste

(Knead all the ingredients together, roll out thinly and line a buttered tart dish)

 

Filling:

2 chicken breasts, skinned and boiled

1 head of broccoli, separated into florets and blanched

6 multi-coloured peppers, finely sliced

1 cup grated cheese, (kefalotyri or San Mihalis or Parmesan)

Salt and pepper to taste

2 cups bechamel sauce with olive oil

 

Bechamel sauce:

2 tbsp olive oil

1 bay leaf

2 tbsp plain flour

500 ml (2 cups) tasty chicken stock

 Pinch of nutmeg

4 eggs, separated yolks mixed well together. whites whipped the soft peaks.

 

Over low heat cook the flour in olive oil, with the bay leaf and stir for 3-4 minutes until slightly coloured.  Pour in the hot stock, sprinkle with nutmeg and simmer until the sauce bubbles and thickens. Discard the bay leaf, remove from the heat and first add the egg yolks and gently fold in the whipped egg whites.

 

Preheat the oven to180 C (350 F) bake the tart blind for 18 minutes.  Chop the chicken and combine it with broccoli, peppers and a cup of bechamel sauce. Spoon it into the tart shell, cover with the remaining bechamel, sprinkle with the remaining cheese and bake for 35 -40 minutes and serve immediately.  

 

 

                                              CARROT AND FETA TART

This is a very tasty savoury tart.  It is baked like a tart Tatin.

Pastry:

150 g (5 oz) butter at room temperature

90 g (3 oz) feta, crumbled

60 g (2 oz) San Mihalis or Parmesan, grated

250 g (2 cups) self-rising flour

A little butter for the dish

Filling:

500 g (1 lb) carrots, peeled and thickly sliced

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 tsp coriander seeds

1 tsp fresh ginger grated

f1 tsp fresh thyme leaves

1 tbsp honey

2 tbsp butter

400 ml (1 1/2 cups) vegetable stock

300 g (10 oz) feta, sliced and soaked in water, if salty

1 small onion, peeled and grated

2 eggs

Freshly ground black pepper

Place the carrots in a saucepan with the coriander seeds, salt and pepper, thyme, butter and vegetable stock.  Boil briskly, uncovered, until the carrots are tender and the liquid has reduced to about 1/2 cup. Taste for seasoning and adjust, if necessary, remove the carrots and set aside to cool.  Strain the reduced liquid and reserve.

Meanwhile, crumble the feta and combine with the grated onion, eggs, pepper and mix well together.

Line a 30 cm (12 in) round tart dish with baking parchment, arrange the carrots over and drizzle with the reduced carrot liquid.  Spoon the feta mixture evenly on top and sprinkle with the remaining thyme and freshly ground black pepper.

Preheat the oven to 180 C (350 F). For the pastry blend all the ingredients together, until the dough forms a ball around the hook.  Roll out the pastry into a circle larger than the tart dish and drape it over the carrots. Trim the excess pastry, if necessary, pushing it neatly around the dish to enclose the filling completely.

Bake the tart for 30 minutes until the pastry is crisp and golden brown, overturn on a dish and serve immediately with a green salad.      

                              COURGETTE AND CARAMELIZED ONION TART  

375 g (13 oz) puff pastry

Plain flour for dusting

1 egg, beaten

50 g (1.7 oz) butter

3 onions, peeled and thinly sliced

2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

1 large courgette, scraped and cut into long ribbons with a vegetable peeler

100 g (3.5 oz) feta

Preheat oven to 180 C (350 F. On a floured surface roll out the pastry into a rectangular shape, slide on a baking tin and bake for 20 minutes until crisp and golden.

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a frying pan, over medium heat, when it foams add the onions and a pinch of salt.  Cook, stirring constantly for 10 minutes, until soft.  Pour in the balsamic vinegar and cook for 8 minutes until sticky and caramelized.

Spoon over the pastry and top with the courgette ribbons and crumbled feta.  Return to the oven for 15 minutes until the cheese is bubbling.  Serve with a salad of your choice. 

 

                                                 QUICHE LORRAINE

   Ages ago, when I was newly married, I read the recipe for this dish in Vogue magazine,  I promptly prepared it and to my great joy, my husband and parents found the crust exceptionally crisp and custard creamy and luscious.

Pastry:

240 g (8 oz) plain flour

1 tsp salt

120 g (4 oz) iced butter, cubed

1 egg

2 tbsp iced water

Filling:

8 rashers of bacon, cut into pieces, sauteed and drained on kitchen paper

90 g (3 oz) grated Gruyere or bland Cheddar

2 eggs

2 egg yolks

275 ml (1 cup + 2 tbsp) double cream 

Salt and freshly ground white pepper to taste

A little iced butter for the top

Mix flour with salt and rub into the butter until it resembles fine breadcrumbs,  Add the eggs and egg yolks and mix well together.  If the dough crumbles, add a little iced water until it comes together.  Shape into a ball, flatten it out, cover with clingfilm and refrigerate.

Roll out the dough, between two pieces of baking parchment to form a circle.  Line a buttered 20 cm (8 inch) flan tin with the pastry, gently pressing it into the bottom and sides of the dish and chill for 1 hour.  Pierce the tart all over with a fork.  

Preheat the oven to180 C (350 F). Cover the pastry with tin foil to prevent it from collapsing and bake for 15 minutes in the centre of the oven.  Discard the foil bake for 10 minutes more and remove from the oven to cool.  

Sprinkle the cool pastry with grated cheese and cover with the bacon.  Beat the eggs, egg yolks, cream and seasoning and pour over the bacon and cheese.  Dot with butter and bake for 20 minutes until puffed and golden.  Serve hot or warm.