Meg’s Recipe: Savoury Picnic Tarts
Adapted from her popular quiche recipe, made in mini, these savoury tarts are perfect for a summer picnic or light lunch in the garden. The secret is to only use the most seasonal filling you can, asparagus, tomato, fresh chives, chard, spring onions, they are easy to adapt. This way they will be a perfect reflection of the tastiest produce in the moment, and if they are each slightly different, they look pretty too!
Ingredients:
200g plain flour
100g chilled butter
A splash of water
Two eggs
150ml cream
Salt and pepper
Fillings may include blanched and chopped asparagus, sautéed onion, sliced tomato, chopped chives or spring onions, cheddar cheese, blue cheese, chopped and sautéed bacon.
Prepare the pastry in advance by rubbing the butter into the flour with your fingertips, until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Make a well in the middle and add a small amount of cold water (a tablespoon?) to bring together the dough. Wrap the dough in clingfilm and allow to rest in the fridge for at least one hour.
While the pastry is resting prepare the filling for the tarts. Small amounts of prepared vegetables, a little grated cheese, sautéed bacon, gather this to the preparation station so the tarts are easy to assemble.
Prepare six individual 3” pastry rings. Rubbing a little butter around each ring will help to ease the tart out of the mould when it is baked. Now roll out the chilled pastry on a flour dusted surface, cut round sections of pastry and line the pastry rings taking care to press the pastry in position from the middle to the edge. Ideally return the pastry rings to the fridge for 15 minutes to relax while the oven is pre-heated to 180°C. Prick the bottom of the tart cases with a fork and bake on an oven tray for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven, brush with an egg wash and return to the oven for another five minutes. This helps to create a ‘waterproof’ layer avoiding ‘soggy bottoms’!
In a jug beat together the cream and eggs with salt and pepper. To fill the savoury tarts layer your combination of vegetables, cheese and/or bacon in each pastry case. Carefully pour over the egg mixture to fill the case. If you slightly mound the vegetable filling to the middle of the tart, the liquid egg mixture will settle to the edges holding everything together.
Immediately return to the oven and bake for 25 minutes until the tarts are risen and golden brown. Serve from the oven or allow to cool then chill ready to be packed up for a picnic. These tarts can also be frozen and re-heated.
Written and supplied by Meg Edmonds, Roots Family Farm shop
Photo credit: Fred Edmonds