Sod the ‘Coronation Quiche’ – Make This Instead: Leek, Walnut & Perl Las Tart

As part of a collaboration with british-leeks.co.uk a few years ago, I worked with local chef Laura Willett of The Tidy Kitchen Company on some recipes to showcase the Welsh national vegetable at its best – including this delicious Caramelised Leek Tart with Walnut Pastry and crumbled Perl Las cheese.

Whether you’re having a party to celebrate the Coronation or not, you can use local Welsh ingredients to make this delicious tart; serve it warm or cold, with a fresh green salad, and some Pembrokeshire Early new potatoes.

Caramelised Leek Tart with Walnut Pastry & Perl Las Cheese

Approx prep time: 30 mins / Cooking time: 30 – 35 minutes

This is a sponsored post, in collaboration with www.british-leeks.co.uk.

Tart case:

200g plain flour

45g walnuts, finely chopped (a food processor would be best)

25g grated parmesan

½ tsp salt

50g cold unsalted butter

1 medium free-range egg, beaten

1 tsp fresh oregano

Method:

1. Add flour, walnuts and parmesan to a large bowl
2. Sprinkle in the fresh oregano and ½ tsp salt. Mix well.
3. Make a well in the middle of the mixture; add the beaten egg and quickly stir to combine.
4. Add 1 tbsp water, and mix to form a soft, pliable dough
5. Bring together and knead lightly on a clean work-surface
6. Roll into a ball and press into a flat 1-inch thick disk. Wrap in cling film and chill in the fridge for 30mins. 

Filling:

1 tsp butter

1 tsp vegetable oil

2 leeks, trimmed and finely chopped

2 cloves of garlic

5 free range eggs

100ml double cream

200ml milk

Freshly cracked black pepper

100g Caws Cenarth Perl Las cheese

½ tsp salt

Method:

1. Whilst pastry is chilling, get started on the filling. Heat a frying pan on medium heat, then add the butter and oil.
2. Add finely chopped leeks and sweat on low heat for 20 mins.
3. Once soft and slightly caramelised, add crushed garlic and continue cooking for two mins, then set to one side to cool.
4. In a large bowl, beat 5 eggs and add milk, cream, salt and pepper, and mix.
5. Remove pastry disk from fridge and sprinkle a small amount of flour on a clean work surface.
6. Roll out pastry into a large circle, big enough to cover tart case and to come up the sides.
7. Place gently into case and press down to ensure it reaches the bottom, then line with backing parchments and weigh down with baking beans.
8. Chill for 15 minutes.

Assembly:

1. When chilled, remove the tart case from fridge and put into preheated oven for 15 minutes.
2. After 15 mins, remove the baking beans and place back in the oven for a further 10 minutes until the bottom is baked – this prevents a soggy bottom.
3. Remove pastry from the oven and pour the egg mixture into the warm tart case, then sprinkle in the sweated leeks.
4. Crumble in in 100g of Perl Las cheese in small chunks – you can use more or less to taste.
5. Return to the oven at 160c and bake for 30 minutes until golden brown and cooked through, there should be no wobble when ready.

For more recipe inspiration, see: www.hungrycityhippy.co.uk/recipes.