Goat Cheese Leek Tart Recipes

LEEK, GOAT'S CHEESE, WALNUT & LEMON TART

Steps:

• Heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan, then add the butter. Once sizzling, add the leeks and cook over a medium heat until softened but not coloured. Stir in the thyme and half the lemon zest, then increase the heat. Add the lemon juice and cook for about 30 secs until the lemon juice reduces, then season well. Remove from the heat and cool slightly.
• Unroll the pastry and lay on a baking sheet lined with baking parchment. Lightly mark a 1cm border around the edges with the tip of a sharp knife, then prick the base all over with a fork.
• Spread the lemony leeks on top of the pastry, within the border. Crumble over the cheese, scatter with the walnuts, then season with pepper. Drizzle with some olive oil, brushing the edges with a little oil as well. Put tart in the oven for 15-20 mins until the pastry puffs up around the edges and is golden brown. Scatter with parsley and the remaining lemon zest. Serve hot, warm or cool.

LEEK, MUSHROOM AND GOAT CHEESE TART

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400 degrees. Trim fennel of green top and root end, reserving fronds, and quarter bulb from top to bottom. Using a mandoline or very sharp knife, cut fennel and leeks into paper-thin slices. Clean and slice mushrooms.
• Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a skillet over medium heat; add fennel and leeks and sauté until just tender but not brown, about 6 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and set aside. Heat remaining teaspoon of oil in skillet over medium-high heat; add mushrooms and sauté until they release all their liquid and most of it boils away, about 5 minutes. Combine fennel mixture with mushrooms and sauté together briefly; season with salt and pepper. Remove pan from heat.
• Unfold puff pastry onto lightly floured surface; cut in half lengthwise to form two long rectangles. Gently roll out each rectangle to approximately 5 by 14 inches and place on cookie sheet (or cut into two circles, if desired). Trim edges by 1/4 inch strips all around; set strips aside. Break one egg into a small bowl; beat slightly. Brush edges of pastry with some egg. Use trimmed strips to make a raised border on each. (Or, fold pastry edges over to form a rim.) Brush entire surface with remaining beaten egg. Prick interior of pastry all over with a fork. Bake until pale gold, about 10 minutes. If pastry has puffed up inside edge, press it down gently. Set aside.
• Meanwhile, combine remaining eggs with 6 ounces goat cheese and blend until smooth. Spread onto pastry. Return to oven and bake just until set, about 4 minutes. Remove from oven and spread with mushroom-leek mixture. Crumble remaining cheese on top. Just before serving, broil tarts on low heat for 2 to 3 minutes, until tarts are warm and cheese softens. Garnish with fennel fronds.

GOAT-CHEESE LEEK TART

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees, with rack on lowest shelf. In a medium bowl, toss leeks with oil, and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together goat cheese, cream cheese, milk, 2 egg yolks, and thyme. Lightly season with salt and pepper. In a small bowl, beat remaining egg yolk with 1 tablespoon water, for egg wash.
• Place pie crust on a rimmed baking sheet. Spread goat-cheese mixture on crust, leaving a 2-inch border. Top with leeks. Fold edge of dough over filling, pinching folds together to seal. Brush dough with egg wash.
• Bake until crust is golden brown, about 1 hour. Let cool completely on a wire rack. Cut into wedges; serve.

GOAT'S CHEESE, SHALLOT AND LEEK TART - A BIT OF A FRENCH TART!

Steps:

• You will need a 7½ inch (19 cm) diameter fluted quiche tin with a removable base, 1¼ inches (3 cm) deep, very lightly buttered, and a small, solid baking sheet.
• Pre-heat the oven to gas mark 5, 375°F (190°C) and pop the baking sheet in to pre-heat on the centre shelf.
• Now prepare the leeks. First, take the tough green ends off & discard them; leave some of the lighter green & then make a vertical split about halfway down the centre of each one and clean them by running them under the cold-water tap while you fan out the layers - this will rid them of any hidden dust and grit. Then slice them in half lengthways and chop into ½-inch (1 cm) slices.
• Next, in a medium-sized frying pan, melt the butter over a gentle heat and add the leeks, shallots and some salt. Give it all a good stir and let them cook gently, without a lid, for 10-15 minutes or until the juice runs out of them. Then you need to transfer them to a sieve set over a bowl to drain off the excess juice. Place a saucer with a weight on top of them to press out every drop.
• Roll it out into a circle on a lightly floured surface. As you roll, give it quarter turns to keep the round shape and roll it as thinly as possible. Now transfer it, rolling it over the pin, to the tin. Press it lightly and firmly over the base and sides of the tin, easing any overlapping pastry back down to the sides, as it is important not to stretch it. Now trim the edges and press the pastry up about ¼ inch (5 mm) above the rim of the tin all round, and then prick the base all over with a fork.
• After that, paint some of the beaten egg for the filling over the base and sides. Now place the tin on the baking sheet and bake for 20-25 minutes or until the pastry is crisp and golden. Check halfway through the cooking time to make sure that the pastry is not rising up in the centre. If it is, just prick it a couple of times and press it back down with your hands.
• While the pastry case is pre-baking, crumble the goats' cheese with your hands, and then gently combine it with the leeks & shallots in the sieve. Now, in a jug, mix the beaten eggs with the crème fraîche or double cream, seasoning with just a little salt (there is some already in the leeks) and a good grinding of freshly milled black pepper.
• As soon as the pastry case is ready, remove it from the oven; arrange the leeks, shallots and cheese all over the base. Pour the cream and egg mixture over the top of the cheese, shallots & leeks, then put the tart back on the baking sheet with the oven shelf half pulled out, then gently slide the shelf back in and bake the tart for 30-35 minutes, until it's firm in the centre and the surface has turned a lovely golden brown.
• Next, remove it from the oven and allow it to settle for 10 minutes before serving. These 10 minutes is important, as it will be much easier to cut into portions. The best way to remove the tart from the tin is to ease the edges from the sides of the tin with a small knife, then place it on an upturned jar or tin, which will allow you to carefully ease the sides away.
• Next slide a palette knife or wide fish slice underneath and ease the tart on to a plate or board ready to serve, or simply cut it into portions straight from the tin base.
• Serve for picnics, light lunch with mixed salad and baked potatoes or as finger food for a buffet.

WELSH GOAT'S CHEESE & LEEK TART

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Heat the oil in a frying pan, then soften the leeks for 5 mins. Add the bacon, cook for a further 5 mins, season, then tip onto a plate to cool.
• Unroll the pastry and cut out two 12 x 18cm rectangles - save or freeze the rest for another time. Lift onto a baking sheet. Using the tip of a sharp knife, mark a border inside each one, about 1.5cm from the edge.
• Mix the crème fraîche and mustard together, then spread over the inside of the pastry frames. Spoon the leek and bacon mix over the mustard mix, then place the goat's cheese on top. Bake for 15-20 mins until the pastry is crisp and golden. Serve with salad.

LEEK AND GOAT CHEESE TART

Steps:

• Using a food processor or your fingers, work the butter into the flour and salt until the mixture is crumbly and the butter is well distributed. Add up to 1/4 cup cold water, working the dough just until it forms a loose, shaggy ball.
• Turn the dough out onto a clean, lightly-floured surface. Gather the dough into a round, then use your palm to flatten the dough into a round. Lightly dust the top with flour. Use a rolling pin to roll the dough to 1/8" thick, lightly flouring the top and bottom as necessary to prevent sticking. Drape the pie dough over a 9" tart pan or deep-dish pie shell.
• Gently press the dough into the bottom and sides of the tart shell. Dock the bottom all over with the tines of a fork. Trim excess dough. Cover loosely with plastic wrap, and chill for 2 to 24 hours.PRO TIP: The best way to trim the excess dough from the tart shell? Run the rolling pin right across the top.
• Preheat the oven to 375°F. Remove the tart shell from the fridge. Unwrap and bake for 20 minutes lined with pie weights. Remove the weights, and bake for 15 minutes more, until lightly golden brown. PRO TIP: Pie weights help prevent the tart shell from slumping or losing its shape while baking. For pie weights, just lay some parchment in the tart shell and fill it with a pound of dried beans. This is what we did in pastry school, too. There is no need to buy special pie weights.
• While the tart shell bakes, melt 2 tablespoons butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the leeks and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and cook, stirring often, until soft and cooked through, about 7 or 8 minutes. If the leeks begin to brown, add a splash of water or lower the heat.PRO TIP: To cut and clean leeks, cut off the root stumps, then slice each leek lengthwise into two long halves. Place each half face-down and slice into thin half moons. Rinse very well in cold water.
• Whisk together the eggs, cream, milk, and remaining salt.
• Reduce the oven temperature to 325°F. Pour half the egg and cream mixture into the tart shell. Scatter the leeks and goat cheese all around, then top off with more of the liquid until it is filled almost, but not quite, to the brim. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and some fresh black pepper. You may not need all of the egg and cream mixture depending on the depth of your pie pan.
• Bake until the top looks dry and set and a knife comes clean from the center, somewhere in the range of 40 to 45 minutes, give or take.
• Cool to warm room temperature. Serve, garnished with fresh minced chives.

LEEK-AND-GOAT-CHEESE TART WITH RYE CRUST

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°F. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough into an 11-by-14-inch rectangle, about 1/8 inch thick. Fit into an 8-by-11-inch fluted tart pan with a removable bottom; trim edges. Dock bottom with a fork and refrigerate 20 minutes.
• Line chilled dough with parchment and fill with dried beans or pie weights; bake until dry to the touch, 35 to 40 minutes. Carefully remove beans and parchment and bake until golden brown all over, 10 to 15 minutes more. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool at least 30 minutes. (Baked crust can wrapped in plastic and stored at room temperature up to 1 day.)
• Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add leeks, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring gently, until just turning light golden, about 2 minutes. Add 1/4 cup water; cover and cook until just tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Add scallions and cilantro; remove from heat. Season with salt and pepper and let cool 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a food processor, combine cheese, eggs, milk, cream, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper; pulse to combine. Pour into crust. Top with leek mixture, spreading evenly. Bake until set in center, 22 to 25 minutes. Transfer to wire rack and let cool in pan at least 15 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature. (This tart is best eaten the day it is made, but can also be refrigerated, wrapped in plastic, up to 2 days.)

SWISS CHARD, LEEK AND GOAT CHEESE TART

Steps:

• Place the flour, rosemary, thyme and salt in a food processor; process until blended. Add the butter; pulse until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal, with pieces no bigger than small peas, about 13 to 15 one-second pulses.
• Transfer dough to a medium bowl; drizzle with 1/4 cup of the water. Mix with a fork to form a "shaggy" dough. Squeeze some in your hand. If it doesn't hold together, add the remaining water, 1 Tbsps. at a time. Form into a disc; wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least 1 hour.
• Position the oven rack in the lower third of the oven; heat oven to 400 degrees. Roll the dough on a lightly floured surface into a 13-inch circle. Ease dough into a 10-inch tart pan, fitting it snugly against the sides and bottom; trim the excess. Prick the bottom of the tart with a fork; cover with parchment paper. Fill the tart with pie weights or beans; bake 25 minutes. Remove the weights and parchment; set shell aside to cool.
• Meanwhile, for the filling, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the leeks; cover skillet. Cook, stirring often, until leeks soften, 8-10 minutes. Add the chard; cook, uncovered, until excess water evaporates, 6-8 minutes.
• Beat the eggs, cream, salt, pepper and nutmeg in a medium bowl. Add the vegetable mixture; toss to coat. Pour the mixture into the tart shell. Sprinkle raisins and pine nuts over the top; dot with the goat cheese. Place on a baking sheet; bake until the filling is set and puffy, about 25 minutes. Cool on a rack to room temperature.

SALMON, GOAT CHEESE, AND LEEK TART

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Roll out puff pastry on lightly floured surface to 12-inch square. Line 9-inch-diameter tart pan with removable bottom with pastry, cutting off excess at edge. Using fork, pierce dough all over. Freeze pastry 5 minutes. Cover pastry with aluminum foil. Fill with dried beans or pie weights. Bake pastry 15 minutes. Remove weights and foil. Bake crust until golden, about 5 minutes longer. Cool completely on rack. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover with plastic wrap. Let stand at room temperature.)
• Preheat oven to 425°F. Heat olive oil in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add sliced leeks and sauté until soft, about 5 minutes. Add whipping cream and simmer until leek mixture is reduced to 1 1/4 cups, about 5 minutes. Let mixture cool.
• Using wooden spoon, beat herb cheese, goat cheese, and cream cheese in large bowl until well blended. Stir in leek mixture, then lemon juice and thyme. Season mixture to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in eggs 1 at a time, blending well after each addition.
• Spread half of filling over bottom of crust. Top with smoked salmon. Top salmon with remaining filling. Sprinkle with breadcrumbs.
• Bake tart until filling is set, about 30 minutes. Transfer to platter. Let tart cool to room temperature. Cut tart into wedges and serve.

GOAT CHEESE-LEEK TART

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F, with rack on lowest shelf. In a bowl, toss leeks with oil, and season with salt and pepper.
• Whisk together goat cheese, cream cheese, milk, 2 egg yolks, and thyme; season with salt and pepper. In another bowl, lightly beat remaining egg yolk with the water, for egg wash.
• Roll out dough to a 13-inch round, about 1/8 inch thick, on a lightly floured work surface. (Or unfold store-bought dough.) Place on a baking sheet. Spread goat-cheese mixture on crust, leaving a 2-inch border. Sprinkle leeks evenly on top. Fold edge of dough over filling, pinching folds together to seal. Brush dough with egg wash.
• Bake, rotating sheet halfway through, until crust is golden brown and filling is browned in spots, about 1 hour. Let cool completely on a wire rack. To serve, cut into wedges.
• Preparing Leeks
• Trim root end and dark green tops. Halve leeks lengthwise, then thinly slice crosswise into half-moons. Wash well in several changes of cold water, swishing leeks to release any grit, until water is clear. Drain, and dry on paper towels.