Recipe: Leek & Harrogate Blue Cheese Tart

Take the fear out of pastry with our recipe for this lovely tart which is perfect for family dinners and picnics. What's more, you can adapt the recipe to use up left-overs in the fridge.

Equipment

18cm pastry ring or flan dish

Baking tray

Baking paper

Baking beans or rice for blind baking

Ingredients

200g plain flour

Pinch of salt

1 tsp mustard powder

100g butter

50g walnuts, finely ground

30g Parmesan cheese

4-6 tbsp cold water

2 egg yolks

Salt and white pepper

For the filling

20g butter

1 small leek, washed and finely chopped, cooked in a frying pan with butter, salt and pepper until soft and allowed to cool

2 egg (medium)

100ml double cream

100g Harrogate Blue, or your favourite cheese

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

For the Shortcrust Pastry

1. Preheat the oven to 180ºC (fan assisted).

2. In a large bowl, mix together the flour, salt and mustard powder.

3. Cut the cold butter into small pieces and rub into the flour using your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Stir in the ground walnuts and grated parmesan cheese.

4. In a small measuring jug, mix together 2 tablespoons of the cold water with 2 egg yolks. Pour over the ingredients in the bowl and bring together so that it comes away cleanly from the bowl to form a ball of pastry. If needed add some of the remaining water until the mixture binds.

5. Turn out on to a lightly floured surface and bring gently together to form smooth dough.

6. Roll out the pastry and line the 18cm baking ring. Trim the edges of the pastry and crimp. Time permitting, chill for 20 minutes or so to allow the pastry to relax.

7. Line the pasty with a paper disc and fill with baking beans and bake blind in the preheated oven for 10-15 minutes. Remove the paper and beans and bake again for 5-8 minutes. Allow to cool slightly.

For the filling

1. Using your fingers, break up the Harrogate Blue cheese and dot it around the tart case with the cooked leeks.

2. In a small jug, whisk the eggs and cream together, season with salt and ground white pepper. Pour the egg mixture into the pastry case and bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes or until the mixture has begun to set. Allow to cool a little before serving.