a spinach tart

Quiches and tarts have always been my quick turn-to recipes, when there is an unexpected lunch or snack to prepare.

This tart is a winner in my house.  Delicious slightly warm and served with a mixed green salad.  Plus the advantage of only requiring ingredients that I generally have to hand.

To make this spinach and goats chesese tart for 4 - 6 people , I use

a roll of good ready made puff pastry, 

1 kg or 2 lbs of fresh spinach leaves (otherwise you can use 1 lb frozen)

120g or 4 oz of diced bacon

80 g or 3 oz of pine nuts

200g or 6 oz of goats cheese

1 egg

50cl of fresh cream

salt and pepper

Pre heat the oven to 210°C, gas 7

Line the baking mould with the flaky pastry and bake blind for 10 minutes.  I do this by covering the pastry with some baking paper and weighing it down with dried beans.  This takes about 10 minutes plus an extra three minutes with the paper and beans lifted off the pastry to let it turn a pale golden colour.

While that is happening, I pop the young spinach leaves into a large saucepan with a small cube of butter, as the leaves heat they will start to melt.  Once they are well cooked through, turn the heat up a little to evaporate any water remaining.    Lightly cook the diced bacon in a pan.

To assemble, mix the bacon, fresh cream,  the pine nuts, the egg and salt and pepper into the spinach.  Pour into the pastry base and cover the top with slices of goats cheese.  Pop back into the oven for about 15 minutes, serve warm.

picture thanks to marmiton.org