Sorrel and Goats' Cheese Tart Recipe

This delicious tart makes a great picnic dish to pack up on a sunny day for eating outside. Serve it simply by itself or with a fresh green salad for a light and summery meal.

Ingredients

For the pastry case:

• 225g plain flour
• 1 tsp salt
• Approx. 115g butter, at room temperature
• Ground black pepper
• Chilled water

For the filling:

• 110g goats cheese (or any strongly flavoured cream cheese)
• Good handful of sorrel, coarsely chopped
• 6-8 shallots, thinly sliced
• 3 eggs
• 250ml milk
• 1 tsp grain mustard
• 1/4 tsp salt
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 100g strong cheddar, grated

You will need

• 20cm (8in) flan tin

Method

1. Sift the flour and salt into a bowl. Chop the butter with a knife and rub in with your fingertips, be sure to keep lifting the flour out of the bowl to keep it airy. Add the seasoning. Gradually stir in enough chilled water to make a dough that's not too soggy. Knead briefly, pop into a plastic bag and put in the fridge for half an hour
2. Preheat the oven to 200C, gas mark 6 and grease a 20cm flat tin.
3. Dust a work surface with flour and roll the pastry to a thickness of about 3mm. Gently drape the pastry in to the flan tin, allowing it to fall in to the edges without stretching it.
4. Then place the tin on a baking tray without bothering to trim the edges. Prick all over the bottom of the pastry with a fork and bake for about 8 minutes. Remove for the oven, allow to cool slightly and trim excess pastry
5. To make the filling preheat the oven to 230C, gas mark 8. Spread the goats' cheese in the bottom of the pastry case. Cover with the chopped sorrel and the shallots.
6. Beat the eggs, milk and mustard together and season with salt and pepper, then pour over the contents of the pastry case. Sprinkle with the cheddar. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until the top is golden brown. Serve with a salad of wild leaves