Feeding the family - don't mention the garlic
More vile weather - rain, rain and more rain. Yesterday I had my mother- and sister-in-law for lunch and gave them lovely Maris Bard potatoes (creamy and earthy - a wonderful not waxy new potato), roasted butternut squash with thyme and olive oil, scattered with the first picking of our Aquadulce broad beans (tiny, sweet and green) and this tart.
I didn't let on there was roasted garlic in it - but it went down well. Also good cold with salad (if it ever stops raining.....)
Pea & Goats Cheese Tart
200g / 6oz flour
100g / 3oz butter or margarine
a little water
1 bulb garlic
450g / 1lb peas in pods
150g / 5oz Goats cheese (soft rinded in a log)
3 eggs
1 tbs freshly chopped mint
salt, pepper
Rub the fat into the flour and add enough water to bind into a soft dough. Wrap and chill.
Wrap the garlic in foil or greaseproof and put into a hot oven - 200C / 400F / Gas Mk 7 for 20 - 30 minutes until soft.
Pod the peas and cook in a little water for 5 minutes. Drain. Puree with the cheese, eggs, mint and the softened peeled garlic. Season well.
Roll out the chilled pastry and line a 20cm / 8in baking dish. Trim, saving scraps for a lattice. Scrape in the pea filling. Level and cover with the lattice. Bake at 200C / 400F / Gas Mk 7 until golden.
(c) Sarah Beattie 2007
