Spinach, mushroom and cheese tart

A savoury tart makes a lovely light lunch or supper over Pesach. This one is special enough to serve to guests. Just add a green salad and you have a delicious meal. For alternative fillings, visit www.thejc.com/ recipes

INGREDIENTS For the base

250g cake or fine matzah meal

150g butter or margarine, softened

1 egg, beaten

A pinch of salt

For the filling

2 tbsp olive oil

250g spinach, washed 250g mushrooms washed and sliced

One red onion, finely chopped

3 tbsp crème fraiche or parev cream 250g grated cheddar cheese

Salt, pepper

6 eggs

METHOD

Heat oven to 200°C (180°C fan). Put the butter or margarine in a bowl with the dry ingredients and rub together.

Add the beaten egg, and mix until the mixture begins to clump together. Gather into a ball with your hands, and knead well until smooth and free from cracks.

Flatten the dough into a block about 2cm thick. If not using immediately refrigerate until using.

Roll it out until it is about 1cm thick and use it to line a 25cm tart tin or dish. Refrigerate until firm — about 30 minutes and then line the tin with baking parchment and baking beans and bake the case until it is lightly golden – this should take 15-20 minutes with the beads in and a further 5 once you have removed them. The pastry base should be pale and sandy and the borders slightly brown/beige.

Leave to cool in the tin on a wire rack.

For the filling: cook the spinach, mushroom and onion in a large pot with 2tbsp of olive oil. Stir until all the water from the vegetables has cooked off. Cool a little.

Whisk the eggs with the crème fraiche. Add the cheese and season with salt and pepper. Add this to the vegetables and mix. Pour the mixture into the blind-baked tart base and cook for 30 minutes at 180°C.