SUMMER VEGETABLE AND PESTO TART
PAIR WITH
The House of Krone Chardonnay Pinot Noir 2017
A wine with crisp acidity and elegance with a hint of delicate red berry fruit flavour on the finish, making it a great wine to pair with this dish. About R75 SERVES 6-8 PREPARATION TIME 1 hour COOKING TIME 1 hour
Shortcrust pastry:
125g butter, cubed
250g flour, sifted
60ml (¼ cup) water, to bind
For the filling:
150g mature cheddar cheese, grated
50g chevin goat’s cheese
Assorted thinly sliced grilled vegetables — baby marrow, butternut, purple brinjal, beetroot, sweet potato and kale 375ml (1 ½ cups) cream
3 free-range eggs, beaten
10g chives, chopped
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
125g basil pesto
To make the pastry case, place the butter and flour into a food processor and pulse until the texture becomes like breadcrumbs. With the motor running slowly, add 1 tbsp water at a time until a dough starts forming. Turn out onto a floured surface and knead into a ball (knead for no longer than 5 minutes). Wrap in cling film and chill for 30 minutes. Grease a skillet/grill pan and line with baking paper.
Roll out the pastry dough between two sheets of baking paper to keep it from sticking. Press into the skillet, making sure the edges hang over slightly, and prick the base of the pastry numerous times with a fork. Chill in the fridge for 20 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 180°C. Blind bake the pastry, weighted down with baking paper and baking beans for 15 minutes, until lightly golden. Spread the cheddar cheese and dot the goat’s cheese over the base of the pastry. Arrange the grilled vegetables in a spiral, alternating vegetables until you fill the tart case. In a bowl, whisk together the cream, eggs, chives and seasoning. Pour the mixture into the pastry case, and bake for 40-45 minutes until set and golden. Leave to cool slightly before serving with a drizzle of basil pesto.
PAIR WITH
Buitenverwachting Sauvignon Blanc 2017
This full-bodied wine along with its crisp minerality, herbaceous notes and citrus flavours, promises a tasty tandem paired with this tartlet. About R105 Serves 12
PREPARATION TIME 1 hour, plus freezing time COOKING TIME 10 minutes
4-litres quality vanilla ice cream 375g raspberries 500g blueberries 600g strawberries 45-60ml (3-4 tbsp) icing sugar, sifted
Lightly mash 150g raspberries with a fork and 2 tbsp of icing sugar. In a saucepan, add 360g blueberries and 2 tbsp icing sugar with 1 or 2 tbsp water and bring to a simmer. Remove from the heat and mash. Do the same with 400g of the strawberries chopping and adding extra icing sugar if necessary. Place the berries in the fridge to cool, keeping them separate from each other. Reserve the remaining whole berries for garnish.
Slightly soften 1-litre of ice cream at a time, so it is easily spreadable with a spatula. Line the base of a 20cm springform cake tin with cling wrap before clipping the sides of the tin to the base to secure the cling wrap. Spoon the litre of ice cream into the base and top with raspberries. Place in the freezer to set, repeat with one more layer of ice cream and top with the chopped strawberries. Place back in the freezer overnight.
Repeat with another cake tin and the remaining ice cream, but this time arranging the blueberries in the middle layer and leaving the top layer of ice cream bare. Set overnight in the freezer. To unmold, wrap the tin in a hot cloth and run a hot palette knife between the edge of the cake and tin to loosen the ice cream. Release the tin’s clip to unmold and place the strawberry and raspberry ice cream layer on a cake stand. Top with the blueberry layer. Once presented, separate the two layers before cutting into serving portions for easier and safer slicing. Top with remaining berries.
PAIR WITH
Haute Cabriere Pierre Jourdan Brut NV
A brilliantly balanced brut cap classique that has lively lime notes and a soft lingering finish. About R114