PURPLE SPROUTING BROCCOLI, LEEK AND STILTON TART

Prep time: 30 minutes, plus chilling time Cook time: 1 hour 15 minutes

Serves 4

This tart is a stunner – good with a leafy salad and chutney.

INGREDIENTS For the pastry

– 250g plain flour, plus

extra for dusting

– 125g unsalted butter, chilled and grated, plus extra for greasing – 100ml milk

– 1 medium egg, beaten,

for egg wash

For the filling

– 1 small leek, trimmed

and finely diced

– 30g unsalted butter – 150g purple sprouting

broccoli

– 4 medium eggs, beaten – 250ml single cream – 100g Stilton, grated

or crumbled

METHOD

To make the pastry, toss ½ tsp salt through the flour. Using your fingertips, rub the butter into the flour until you have a fine breadcrumblike consistency. Add the milk and mix to form a smooth dough.

Lightly dust the work surface with flour. Using a lightly floured rolling pin, roll out the pastry to a circle about 3mm thick and large enough to line adeep20cmtarttin (mine was 3.5cm deep). Grease the tin and line with the pastry, carefully pushing it into the corners and pressing any cracks together with your fingers. Prick the base all over with a fork. Trim off excess pastry.

Line the tart case with baking paper, fill with baking beans and place on a baking tray. Refrigerate for 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas mark 6. Bake the tart case for 15 minutes, then remove the baking beans and paper and return to the oven for 10 minutes, until the base is starting to turn light gold. Brush the inside of the tart case all over with a little of the egg wash to fill the fork holes, then return to the oven for 2 minutes to set the egg. Set aside.

Gently cook the leek in the butter for 3-4 minutes, covered, without letting it colour. Stir every so often. Transfer to a bowl.

Meanwhile, cook the broccoli in boiling salted water for 3-4 minutes, drain then refresh in cold water. Cut into smallish pieces.

Mix the eggs and cream together with the leek and season well.

Fill the tart case with the broccoli, then scatter with Stilton. Pour over the egg mixture. Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until the filling has set.

Leave to cool to room temperature, then loosen the edges with the point of a knife and remove from the tin to serve.