Cheese, Spinach and Rye Tart (6)
Ingredients
Instructions
  1. Put the flours and butter for the pastry into a food processor with a good pinch of salt and whizz until you have a breadcrumb-like mixture.
  2. Add the egg yolk and whizz again until everything comes together in a ball (if it doesn’t, add about a teaspoon of very cold water water, put the mixture on to your kitchen surface and bring everything together with your hands).
  3. Wrap the dough in cling film and put it in the fridge for 30 minutes.Tip the cottage cheese into a sieve, set over a bowl and let the excess moisture drip out (you can give it a little shake to encourage it).
  4. Put the spinach in a large saucepan with a couple of tablespoons of water, cover and set over a low heat for about 4 minutes. Turn the spinach over to make sure the heat gets to all sides.
  5. Allow to cool, then squeeze all the excess water out of the leaves – between two dinner plates works well. You have to get as much moisture out as possible or it will ruin the custard in the tart. Chop roughly and season well.
  6. Melt the butter in a large frying pan and sauté the onion until soft. Add the spinach and cook over a medium heat for another couple of minutes, which will help to dry it out a bit more.
  7. Mix together the eggs, cream, herbs, some seasoning and all but 10g of the hard cheese. Season again. Preheat the oven to 190C/170C fan/gas mark 5.
  8. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface and use it to line a 23-24cm tart tin (it should be 3-4cm deep). Fill with greaseproof paper and baking beans and bake blind for 15 minutes.
  9. Remove the paper and beans and cook for a further 10 minutes. Brush the inside of the tart case with the reserved egg white and return to the oven for another 5 minutes.
  10. Spread the onions and spinach on to the base of the tart then spoon the cottage cheese on top. Pour on the egg and cream mixture and finally sprinkle the last bit of cheese on top.
  11. Return to the oven and bake for 25 minutes. The filling should be golden and slightly souffléd . Leave in the tin for about 15 minutes – the filling will continue to cook and settle, so it’s very important to let it rest – then serve.