Meat mains
Smoked haddock and leek tart
A magical combination of sweet leeks and smoky fish held together in a light egg custard. If you want to cut corners, start with shop-bought pastry. Serve this warm with salad or cooked greens.
Ingredients
for the pastry
- 175g plain flour
- pinch of salt
- 1 tsp caster sugar
- 125g cold unsalted butter
- 3 tbsp cold water
for the filling
- 25g butter, and a little extra for greasing
- 350g leeks, finely sliced, washed well and drained
- 175g naturally smoked haddock, skin removed, flesh broken into flakes
- 50ml dry white wine (or use vermouth)
- 2 eggs
- 150ml crème fraîche
- 2 tbsp fresh chives, chopped
- 1 tbsp Parmesan, grated
- salt and pepper
Method
To make the pastry
-
Step 1
Put the flour, salt, sugar and butter in a food processor and blitz until the mixture looks like fine breadcrumbs.
-
Step 2
Add the water and blitz again, just until the mixture comes together in a ball. Remove, wrap in clingfilm and put in the fridge to chill for 30 minutes.
-
Step 3
Preheat oven to 180°C/Gas 4 and put a baking sheet in the oven to heat up.
-
Step 4
Roll out the pastry and use it to line a greased tart tin. Prick the pastry lightly all over using a fork, without piercing through to the bottom.
-
Step 5
Cover the pastry with baking parchment and fill with ceramic baking beans, or use uncooked rice. Place the tart tin on the preheated baking sheet and bake blind for 15 minutes.
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Step 6
Remove the baking beans and parchment and cook for another 8- 10 minutes more, until the pastry is just turning golden. Remove from the oven and leave to cool.
For the filling
-
Step 1
Melt the butter in a pan. Add the leeks and cook on a gentle heat for about 8 minutes, until soft.
-
Step 2
Add the flaked haddock to the leeks, turn up the heat, add the wine and cook for a minute or two, until the liquid has almost evaporated.
-
Step 3
Put the leek mixture into the pastry case and level it out.
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Step 4
Lightly beat the eggs in a small bowl, then add the crème fraîche and chives, and season with salt and pepper. Stir to combine.
-
Step 5
Pour the egg mixture over the leeks and fish, then bake for about 15 minutes.
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Step 6
Remove from the oven, sprinkle over the Parmesan and return to the oven until the tart is just set and the top is turning golden, about another 10 minutes.
