Butternut, goat’s cheese and leek tart

Serves 4 Starters and mains

Butternut goats cheese leek tart screenshot

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Ingredients

  • 1 x 500g butternut squash
  • 3tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 25g butter
  • 125g thin leeks, halved lengthways and sliced
  • 2 garlic cloves, finely grated
  • 120g curly kale on the stem
  • 125g soft goat’s cheese log
  • 300ml double cream
  • 2 whole eggs
  • 2 egg yolks

For the pastry

  • 250g plain flour
  • 1⁄4tsp sea salt flakes
  • 1⁄2tsp caraway seeds, finely ground
  • 150g cold butter, cubed
  • 2 egg yolks

You will need

  • 30 x 20cm fluted tart tin

Method

Whizz the flour in a food processor with the salt and caraway seeds. Add the butter cubes and whizz together to form a crumb texture.

Mix the egg yolks with 3tbsp cold water and process until the mixture clumps together. Tip onto a clean work surface and bring into a ball. Wrap in cling film and chill for 20 minutes.

Roll the dough out into a large enough rectangle to line a fluted tart tin measuring at the top 30 x 20cm. Chill for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile heat the oven to 200C/ 180C fan/Gas 6. Cut the butternut squash in half crossways, then each piece in half lengthways, and peel and scoop out the seeds with a spoon. Cut each quarter into 0.5cm thin wedges. Arrange on a foil-lined tray, spoon over 1tbsp of the oil and season with freshly ground black pepper and a pinch or two of sea salt flakes. Roast for around 15-20 minutes, until just softened. Remove from the oven and set aside.

Retrieve the chilled lined pastry tin and put a tray large enough to contain the tart tin on the oven shelf. Line the pastry in the tin with scrunched-up baking paper and add baking beans. Bake blind for 20 minutes. Remove baking beans and paper together and put back in the oven for 8 minutes, until the pastry is evenly golden. Remove and set aside.

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a pan and sweat the leeks for around 5 minutes, until soft. Add the garlic and stir well, then tip into a bowl to cool down.

Tear the kale from the tough stems into bite-sized pieces and blanch in boiling salted water for 3 minutes. Drain and refresh in cold water. Drain again and squeeze as much moisture out as possible. Scatter onto kitchen paper to dry out.

Lower the oven to 180C/160C fan/ Gas 4. Beat the whole eggs and yolks in a bowl with the cream and season. Add the leeks to the pastry and spread out evenly. Pour the egg mixture over the leeks and arrange the kale over, pushing it down a little so only the tips appear. Arrange the butternut slices over in a pattern. There will be leftover slices – set these aside for the purée. Dot with half the goat’s cheese and bake until set for around 35 minutes, until puffed up and golden in parts.

Put the leftover butternut slices in a processor with the rest of the goat’s cheese, the remaining 2tbsp of extra virgin olive oil, 3tbsp water and season to taste. If you prefer a smooth finish, push the purée through a fine-mesh sieve and serve with the tart.

Recipe and food styling: Linda Tubby. Photography and prop styling: Angela Dukes.
Butternut goats cheese leek tart screenshot
Recipe and food styling: Linda Tubby. Photography and prop styling: Angela Dukes.

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