Leek Ricotta Gruyère Tart Food

SIMPLE LEEK AND RICOTTA TARTS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 180°C (355°F). Place the ricotta, parmesan and eggs in a bowl and whisk until smooth. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface until 3 mm (1/8 inch) thick. Cut into 4 x 15 cm (6 inch) squares and place on baking trays lined with non-stick baking paper. Spread the ricotta mixture over the pastry squares leaving a 2 cm (3/4 inch) border. Place the leek on top of the ricotta mixture and brush with the butter. Sprinkle with the thyme, salt, and pepper and bake for 25-30 minutes or until the leek is golden. Serve with the fennel and parsley salad .

LEEK, RICOTTA & GRUYèRE TART

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Roll out the pastry and use to line a 23cm loose-bottomed tart tin. Prick the base with a fork and line with baking parchment and baking beans. Sit the tin on a baking sheet and bake for 10 mins, then remove beans and parchment and return to the oven for a further 5 mins until pale golden. Reduce oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4.
• Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large pan and gently cook the leeks for 10 mins until softened. Beat together the ricotta, cream, eggs, tarragon, a little salt and plenty of black pepper. Stir in the leeks and all but a handful of the cheese.
• Pour the mixture into the tart case and scatter over the remaining cheese. Bake for 25-30 mins until golden and set. Leave to settle for 5 mins, then carefully remove from the tin and allow to cool a little on a wire rack. Serve warm.

ASPARAGUS, LEEK & GRUYERE TART IN TARRAGON SAVORY CUSTARD

Steps:

• Make pastry.
• Mix together flour, salt, and butter in a bowl with your fingertips or a pastry blender (or pulse in a food processor) until most of mixture resembles coarse meal with some small (roughly pea-size) butter lumps. Drizzle evenly with egg and gently stir with a fork (or pulse in processor) just until a dough forms.
• Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface and divide into 4 portions. With heel of your hand, smear each portion once or twice in a forward motion to help distribute fat. Gather dough into a ball, then flatten into a 5-inch disk. Chill dough, wrapped in plastic wrap, until firm, at least 30 minutes.
• Make filling while pastry chills.
• Wash leek in a bowl of cold water, agitating water, then lift out leek and pat dry.
• Cook asparagus in a 4- to 5-quart pot of boiling salted water , uncovered, until just tender, about 5 minutes. Transfer asparagus with tongs to a bowl of ice and cold water to stop cooking, then drain and pat dry. Cut off and reserve tips (leave more stalk if asparagus is thin), then thinly slice stalks crosswise. Set 6 or so pieces of the asparagus aside for decoration, if you choose to.
• Heat butter in a 10- to 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately low heat until foam subsides, then cook leek with 1/4 teaspoon salt, stirring, until softened, 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in remainder of sliced asparagus and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and quickly remove from heat.
• Finish filling and assemble and bake tart.
• Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 375°F.
• Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface with a floured rolling pin into an 11-inch round, then fit dough inside 10" tart pan, pressing dough against bottom edge and side of ring. Run rolling pin over top edge of ring to cut off excess dough.
• Whisk together cream, 2 eggs, tarragon, leeks and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Spoon asparagus into shell, spreading evenly, then pour cream mixture over asparagus.
• Bake tart until filling is just beginning to set but still loose on top, 20 to 25 minutes. Scatter 6 or so asparagus tips set aside earlier over top, pressing lightly if necessary to help them settle into filling, then continue to bake until custard is golden and just set but still slightly wobbly in center, about 30 minutes more (custard will continue to set as it cools).
• Cool tart on baking sheet on a rack until warm, about 30 minutes. Loosen edge with a small sharp knife, then lift off flan ring. Serve warm or at room temperature, cut into wedges.

CRISPY POTATO, ARTICHOKE, LEEK, AND GRUYèRE TART

Steps:

• Prepare a medium-hot fire (425°F) in a wood-fired oven or cooker.
• Cut the leeks crosswise into half rings and rinse well. Heat 3 tablespoons of the olive oil in a terra-cotta baker, in the oven or cooker, and cook the leeks until translucent, about 7 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
• Remove the outer artichoke leaves, then thinly slice the artichokes lengthwise. Add the lemon juice to a bowl of ice water and place the artichoke slices in the water. Drain and pat dry the artichokes dry with paper towels. In the same clay baker, sauté the sliced artichokes in the olive oil left over from the leaks over medium-high heat in the oven or cooker until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add the wine and stir to scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the thyme and salt and pepper to taste and cook for 3 minutes, or until the moisture is removed. Remove from the heat and set aside.
• Toss the potato slices in the remaining olive oil in a bowl and lightly salt. Reserve 5 slices for the top of the tart.
• Heat a 10-inch slope-sided skillet or clay baker on the stove top over medium-high heat and brush with olive oil. Remove from the heat and line the vessel with slices of potatoes, overlapping the slices to cover the bottom and sides of the pan. Lightly pepper. Place in the oven or cooker and bake until golden, about 15 minutes. Remove from the oven.
• Combine the eggs and ricotta in a bowl and beat until blended. Add the milk, cayenne, lemon zest, chives, and salt to taste. Fill the potato crust with half of the Gruyère, then the leeks. Top with the artichokes, add the ricotta mixture, and top with the remaining Gruyère and a sprinkling of pine nuts.
• Place the reserved potato slices on top. Return to the oven and bake for 25 minutes, or until lightly browned. Remove from the oven and let cool for 15 minutes. Cut into wedges and serve.