Leek and Cheshire Cheese Tart

Crumbly Appleby's Cheshire Cheese gives this tart a delicious fresh flavour. The honey adds a little sweetness to complement the cheese and leeks. Ideally, serve the tart warm.

Preparation time :	20 minutes, plus chilling
Cooking time :	50 minutes
Total time :	1 hour 30 minutes

Serves: 6

Ingredients

2 tbsp plain flour
500g pack Saxby's Short Pastry
5–6 medium leeks, trimmed and washed
1 tbsp olive oil
3 large eggs
15g pack fresh chives, finely chopped
2 tbsp clear honey
½ x 500g tub half-fat crème fraîche
125g Appleby's Cheshire Cheese

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C, gas mark 6. Place a 24cm-wide, deep, round fluted tart tin on a baking tray. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface to a circle about 4cm wider than the tin. Carefully lift the pastry into the tin and gently press it into the base and sides, taking care not to stretch the pastry. Trim any excess pastry and prick the base with a fork. Chill in the fridge for 20 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, slice the leeks in half lengthways, then chop into 1cm pieces. Heat the oil in a large frying pan and gently cook the leeks for 5-8 minutes until wilted and softened, but not too coloured. Remove from the heat and leave to cool.
3. When the pastry is chilled, place a sheet of baking paper on top of it, scrunching in the edges to fit. Fill with either baking beans, dried beans or rice grains to weigh down the pastry when it is being part-cooked and stop it from rising. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, place the eggs in a bowl and beat with the chives, honey and crème fraîche. Season. Add the cooled leeks to the egg mixture and mix well. Crumble the Cheshire cheese and add to the egg mixture, stirring in carefully.
5. Remove the baking beans and parchment paper from the pastry shell and spoon the leek mixture into the base. Bake in the oven for 35 minutes until lightly golden and set. Don't worry if it still has a slight wobble as the filling will continue to cook for a while when removed from the oven. It will set further as it cools, so allow it to stand for a good 10 minutes before serving. Cut into wedges and serve with a crisp green salad.

Cook's tips

It is important to chill the pastry, even for a short time, because this allows it to rest and prevents it from shrinking in the oven.