Ingredients
Pastry
250g plain flour, plus a little for dusting
50g cold butter, diced
50g lard (or use butter if you prefer)
4 tbsp milk, plus a splash
Filling
125ml milk
175ml double cream
2 medium eggs
1 tbsp chopped fresh tarragon
100g cheddar, grated
180g cooked spinach, liquid squeezed out and lightly chopped
60g cooked broad beans or soya beans (double pod the broad beans, if you like)
Method
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Sieve the flour into a bowl with ½ tsp salt. Add the butter and lard, and rub the mixture together using your fingertips until you get a sandy, breadcrumb-like texture. Add the milk, a little at a time, and using a cutlery knife, start to bring the dough together, using your hands, making sure it has no dry patches and feels smooth. Cover and allow to rest in the fridge for 30-45 minutes.
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Put a 20cm loose-bottomed tart tin or a 20cm pastry ring on a baking sheet. Lightly flour the work surface and roll out the pastry to a circle a little larger than the top of the tin and approximately 5mm thick. Carefully lift the pastry into the tin and gently press into the corners, taking care not to have any holes or the mixture could leak. Cover and rest for a further 30 mins in the fridge. Heat oven to 190°C or 170°C for fan-forced.
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Line the pastry case with greaseproof paper – to do this cut a disc of greaseproof paper larger than the tin, scrunch it into a ball (this makes it more pliable), then unwrap and place it in the pastry case. It should come above the sides. Fill with baking beans or uncooked rice and bake blind for 20-25 minutes until nicely golden and dry. Carefully remove the greaseproof paper and baking beans, and return to the oven for 5 minutes to dry the base. Reduce the oven temperature to 160°C or 140°C fan-forced.
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Beat the milk, cream, eggs and herbs with some seasoning. Scatter half of the grated cheese in the blind-baked base, top with the chopped spinach and beans, then pour over the liquid mixture. If required, gently give the mixture a delicate stir to ensure the filling is evenly dispersed, but be careful not to damage the pastry case. Sprinkle over the remaining cheese. Place into the oven and bake for 20-30 minutes until set and very lightly golden.
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