Vegetarian mains
Mushroom and leek tart with apple salad
Gently softened, thyme scented leeks and mushrooms with ricotta are the filling in these simple tarts, served alongside a crisp apple and pumpkin seed salad. Pastry needs a high heat to rise properly so get your oven up to temperature before you start; it helps set the butter and flour quickly. The mushrooms will release a lot of moisture when you start frying them; stick with it as this will gradually disappear. The pan will still be hot when adding the egg into the mixture, so it may scramble slightly. Keep stirring, to prevent it solidifying.
Ingredients
- 2 leeks
- 200g mushrooms
- olive oil
- 1 pack puff pastry
- 1 egg
- 2 garlic cloves
- 15g thyme
- 25g Italian style hard cheese, grated
- salt and pepper
- 150g ricotta
- 10g pumpkin seeds
- 1 apple
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 lemon
- 50g mixed salad leaves
Method
-
Step 1
Preheat your oven to 200°C/Gas 6.
-
Step 2
Halve the leeks, lengthways, and give them a quick wash. Slice them, not too thinly. Finely slice the mushrooms.
-
Step 3
Heat 2 tbsp oil in a frying pan. Fry the leeks and mushrooms on a medium-high heat for 10 mins. Stir now and then.
-
Step 4
Meanwhile, take the pastry out of the fridge and unroll it. You only need two-thirds so cut off and save one-third. Cut the rest into 2 equal-sized rectangles and place on a baking sheet.
-
Step 5
Beat the egg and brush over the pastry (keep the leftover egg for later). Use a sharp knife to score a border around the pastry approx. 2 cm in from the edge. Use a fork to prick the middle part only, several times. Bake for 10 mins.
-
Step 6
While the pastry cooks, peel and finely chop the garlic. Pick off 1 good tbsp worth of thyme leaves. Stir the garlic and thyme into the mushrooms. Turn off the heat. Leave to cool slightly.
-
Step 7
Stir in the Italian cheese and remaining egg. Season well. Crumble in the ricotta; mix gently, so it's well combined but leaving some chunks for texture.
-
Step 8
After 10 mins, remove the pastry from the oven. Carefully push down any risen pastry in the middle parts, leaving a puffed-up edge.
-
Step 9
Divide the mushroom mixture between the tarts. Bake for a further 7-8 mins, until the pastry is golden brown and cooked through.
-
Step 10
Meanwhile, lightly toast the pumpkin seeds in a dry frying pan for 1-2 mins. Thinly slice the apple.
-
Step 11
To make a dressing, whisk the mustard, 2 tbsp olive oil and a squeeze of lemon juice in a bowl. Add the apple, pumpkin seeds and salad leaves. Season to taste. Gently mix.
-
Step 12
Serve the tart with the salad on the side.