Gruyère, Bacon and Leek Tart Recipe

Ingredients

• 375g (13oz) shortcrust pastry (we used Dorset Pastry)
• 25g (1oz) butter
• 3 large leeks, sliced
• 200g (7oz) smoked bacon lardons
• 350ml (12fl oz) double cream
• 6 free-range egg yolks
• 60g (2½oz) Gruyère cheese, grated

you will need

• 23cm (9in) loose-based flan tin, greased

Method

1. Roll out the pastry and line the flan tin, leaving an overhang, then chill for 20 minutes.

2. Heat the oven to 200 C, 180 C fan, 400 F, gas 6. Melt the butter in a sauté pan and cook the leeks until slightly caramelised. In a small frying pan brown the bacon, drain off the fat and set both aside.

3. Line the pastry case with foil, fill with baking beans and blind bake for 25 minutes, until the pastry begins to look golden around the edges. Remove the foil and baking beans, and bake for a further 5 to 10 minutes, until golden all over. Cool slightly and remove the overhanging pastry with a serrated knife. Turn the oven down to 150 C, 130 C fan, 300 F, gas 2.

4. Mix the cream with the egg yolks and season well. Scatter the bacon and leeks in the pastry case, fill with the cream mixture, scatter the Gruyère over the top and bake in the bottom third of the oven for 40 minutes until the filling has just set. This is best served on the day you make it, either hot or at room temperature