Smoked ham, leek and cheddar tart
A majestic smoked ham and cheddar quiche that is perfect for a summer lunch or picnic.
For this recipe, you will need a 20cm/8in tart tin and baking beans.
Ingredients
For the tart
- oil, for greasing
- 250g/9oz shortcrust pastry
- plain flour, for dusting
- 40²µ/1½´Ç³ú butter
- 1 leek, finely sliced
- 3 free-range eggs, plus 1 free-range egg yolk, beaten, for glazing
- 250ml/9fl oz double cream
- 50ml/2fl oz full-fat milk
- 125²µ/4½´Ç³ú cheddar, grated
- 50g/1¾oz smoked ham, cut into 1cm/½in pieces
- small bunch fresh flatleaf parsley, roughly chopped
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the spring radish salad
- 1 tsp wholegrain mustard
- 1 tsp white wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 100²µ/3½´Ç³ú radishes, cut in half, leaves retained
- 1 Little Gem lettuce, leaves separated
Method
To make the tart, grease a 20cm/8in tart tin. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface into a circle with the thickness of a pound coin. Line the tart tin with the pastry, making sure to press right into the edges of the tin. Line the pastry with a double layer of cling film or baking parchment and leave to rest in the fridge for an hour.
Preheat the oven to 175C/155C Fan/Gas 4. Add the baking beans to the pastry case and bake the tart shell for 30–40 minutes or until golden brown. Remove the cling film and baking beans for the last 5 minutes of cooking to ensure the base is crisp. Glaze the pastry shell with egg yolk and return to the oven for 1 minute to set the yolk. Turn the oven down to 150C/130C Fan/Gas 2.
Meanwhile, to make the filling, heat the butter in a frying pan and sweat the leeks until softened and sweet. Leave to cool. Mix together the eggs, cream and milk in a large bowl and then add the cheese, leeks, ham and parsley. Season well with salt and pepper. Carefully pour the mixture into the tart shell and bake for 50–60 minutes until set but with a slight wobble. Leave to cool to room temperature.
To make the spring radish salad, whisk together the wholegrain mustard, white wine vinegar and olive oil to make a dressing. Season with salt and pepper and dress the radishes and Little Gem lettuce with the dressing.
Slice the tart once it reaches room temperature and serve alongside the salad.