Watercress, ricotta and parmesan tarts

Serves 12 Starters and mains

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Method

Preheat the oven 220°C/425°F/ Gas 7 and put in a tray to heat. Roll the pastry out on a clean surface very thinly to around 34cm x 25cm, cut in half and lay one piece on top of the other and trim the edges. Starting at the short end, roll tightly into an even-shaped log and cut into 12 rounds. Lay each piece into the holes of a muffin tin and press from the base up the sides to the top. Chill for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, put the ricotta in a bowl and whisk in 1 egg at a time, then the milk and parmesan. Season with freshly ground black pepper. Strip the sprigs from the large stalks of watercress and chop the leaves quite small and add to the ricotta mixture.

Spoon the mixture into the pastry cases to get an even amount in each (about 2tbsp) and sit the muffin tin on the heated oven tray. Bake for 25-30 minutes until the pastry is golden. (Don’t take them out because the filling is swelling and cracking — it falls on cooling and it’s important the pastry is golden and cooked.)
Leave for 5 minutes and remove from the tin with a spatula onto a wire rack to cool, or else eat warm. Decorate the tarts with the viola flowers.