Beat the heat and enjoy a satisfying dinner, lunch or supper with this scrumptious goats’ cheese tart with Sticky Fig Relish. This past week has been a trial with the oppressive heat and you’d be forgiven for taking the easy option at meal times and sticking something quick and easy in the oven – to avoid having to stand in a hot kitchen. Quick doesn’t often mean healthy or, indeed, tasty.
Flans and tarts are easily made in advance or on the day and are a really adaptable and satisfying treat – hot or cold. You can mix and match the ingredients to suit your palate but be mindful of the goats cheese – it can be quite sharp.
This recipe may seem more complicated than it actually is because blind baking the pastry case is an extra step but, quite honestly, once that’s done it’s a doddle and these flavours and smells of summer are a real crowd pleaser.
Serves 8
Goats’ cheese tart ingredients:
- plain flour, for dusting
- 320g pack shortcrust pastry
- 2 large courgettes, coarsely grated
- 1-2 tsp salt
- knob of butter
- Handful of cherry tomatoes, cut into chunky slices
- 215ml whipping cream
- 3 eggs, beaten
- ground black pepper
- ½ jar of Tracklements Sticky Fig Relish
- 110g soft goats’ cheese
Method
1. Preheat oven to 200°C/gas mark 6
2. Lightly dust a surface with flour and roll out the pastry into a large circle approx. half a centimetre thick. Line a tart tin (about 23cm) with the pastry and cut away the excess. Prick the pastry all over with a fork, line with baking paper, fill with baking beans and blind bake for 10-15 mins until the pastry starts to turn golden. Remove paper and beans. Cook for 5 more mins until crisp and cooked through. Leave to cool
3. Put the courgettes into a bowl, sprinkle with 1-2tsp of salt and mix. Leave for a few mins then tip onto kitchen towel or a clean tea towel and press to remove all the excess liquid
4. Melt the butter in a large frying pan, add the courgettes and tomatoes to the pan. Cook for around 3 mins. Put the courgettes and tomatoes in a bowl and add the cream and the egg. Add some ground black pepper (and salt if the salt from the courgettes isn’t enough)
5. Reduce oven to 180°C/160°C fan/gas mark 4. Spread the Sticky Fig Relish over the bottom of the tart case, add the courgette mixture, crumble the goats’ cheese on top. Bake for 40 mins until set
6. Cool before cutting
Tracklements Sticky Fig Relish RRP £3.95 for 250g, and Tracklements Spiced Honey Mustard RRP £2.35 for 140g are available from fine food delis and farm shops nationwide and online at Tracklements.co.uk.
For more delicious, light summer recipes like this goats’ cheese tart, visit our Food and drink channel.
Also on 50connect: Raspberry and white chocolate tart
If you’re more interested in sweet treats and desserts, this recipe for a raspberry and white chocolate tart is an absolute knock out. It can be done in a couple of hours (with time to rest of course) and will delight your friends and family. It’s not even a dish for a special occasion – just pick up the ingredients and get busy.
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