SUMMER VEGETABLE & TRUFFLED PECORINO CUSTARD TART WITH KALE

Prep: 1 hr.

Cooking: 45 mins.

Serves 4. Pastry

225g plain flour

150g butter

½ tsp salt

25ml chilled water

1 pastured egg

Truffled pecorino custard

1 cup (250ml) milk

2 pastured eggs

200g truffled pecorino, diced into small cubes (available from good delis)

1 tsp (5g) quality truffle paste (optional, available online or from good delis) Summer vegetables

12 small heirloom carrots (various colours), peeled

12 medium spears asparagus, trimmed 4-5 small zucchini, cut into ribbons 50ml grapeseed or vegetable oil

120g cold butter, diced

Lemon juice, to taste

Kale puree

150g shallots, sliced

50g butter

1 bunch kale

Kale crisps

1 bunch kale, leaves only, washed and dried well

Vegetable oil, for deep-frying

1 To make pastry, place flour, butter and salt in a bowl and rub to a coarse crumb. Add egg and sufficient water to bring mixture together. Form dough into a ball, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 30 mins. Roll dough to 5mm then use to line 5x 10-12cm-diameter tart tins. Rest a further 10 mins or refrigerate overnight. Blind bake at 180˚C (160˚C fan) until set but not coloured, about 10-15 mins.

2 To make kale puree, place shallots and butter in a frypan and saute until soft. Meanwhile, pick kale leaves from stalks, then cook in salted boiling water for 4 mins. Drain, squeezing out excess water, then place in blender with shallot mixture. Puree at high speed for 2 mins, scrape down sides, then blend a further 1-2 mins or until mixture is completely smooth. Pass through a fine sieve into a bowl set over ice. Season well, continuing to stir until completely chilled. Refrigerate until needed.

3 To make kale crisps, tear leaves into pieces. Heat oil in a large saucepan to 160˚C and deep-fry for 30 secs (do this in batches). Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towel. Season while still warm. Store at room temperature in an airtight container until needed.

4 To make filling, place milk, eggs and truffle paste in a bowl, whisk to combine, season. Divide pecorino cubes among tarts, then divide milk mixture between tarts. Bake at 180˚C (160˚fan) until cheese has softened and custard is just set, about 15- 20 minutes, just as a guide. Keep warm. (If making ahead, refrigerate baked tarts, then reheat in low oven for about 15-20 mins before proceeding.)

5 Meanwhile, make vegetables. Cook carrots until tender, drain and refresh in iced water. Dry well and trim to 10cm lengths. Cook asparagus until tender, drain and refresh in iced water. Dry well. Heat oil and 1 cube of butter in a frypan over medium heat. Add carrots and sauté 1-2 mins. Add zucchini, cook a further 2 mins, adding a little more butter if needed. Add asparagus, cook a further 2-3 mins, continuing to add butter 1 cube at a time until all used; toss pan occasionally to ensure all vegetables are equally cooked. Add lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste, and continue to baste vegetables with pan juices. Remove vegetables from heat and remove tarts from oven. Roll zucchini ribbons into spirals and divide these, carrots and asparagus between tarts. Spoon pan juices over.

6 Reheat kale puree; adjust seasoning if needed. Spoon some kale puree onto serving plates. Place tarts on plate and finish with 2-3 kale crisps.