The King of Tarts – Garlic and Goats Cheese Tart
This is one of my favourite recipes. It's a wonderful vegetarian option that even the keenest meat eater will enjoy. It's based on a Ottelenghi recipe, I have found it best to use a deep tart dish of about an inch to an inch and a half, therefore you need a bit more filling, I have also found that if your in rush, absent the boiling of the garlic and just jump to the caramelisation. Ottelenghi says that it feeds eight but I must have very hungry friends because I would be lucky to feed five of them with one tart! I have been known to eat a third of one so no judgement!
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What you'll need
375g All Butter Puff Pastry
3 medium bulbs of Garlic, peeled
1 tbsp Olive Oil
1 tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
220 ml Water
¾ tbsp Caster Sugar
1 tsp chopped Thyme, plus a few sprigs to garnish
1tsp chopped Rosemary
400g of Soft Goats Cheese (the logs are perfect)
3 Eggs
150 ml Double Cream
150ml Creme Fraiche
Salt and Pepper
- Preheat the oven to 180ºC.
- Roll out the Puff Pastry and line the tart tin (around 28cm) with it, cover with baking paper and fill with baking beans. Place in the fridge for 20mins to cool.
- Bake blind the tart case for 20mins of until the pastry is golden. Set aside.
- Place the Garlic cloves in a pan with water to cover them and simmer then for 3 mins, drain and pat dry.
- Return the saucepan to the hob and add the Olive Oil and Garlic, fry at a high heat for 2 mins while they colour, then add the Vinegar and Water and bring to the boil, simmer for 10 mins. Then add the Sugar, Chopped Herbs, and some seasoning and reduce until a caramel like sauce covers the cloves.
- Make the custard by beating the Eggs, Cream and Creme Fraiche with seasoning by hand.
- Take your blind baked tart case and sprinkle the Goats Cheese across it in large lumps, you want it evenly distributed but for some parts to poke out of the custard so make them taller. Then sprinkle the Garlic in the same manner. Finally pour the custard over, making sure to fill it all over rather than just form the centre.
- Bake for at 160ºC for 35 to 45 mins or until the filling is set and golden. Allow to cool slightly before serving.
