Tasha's Thinkings: Recipe: New Potato and Blue Cheese Tart with Broccoli Pastry #GlutenFree #Vegetarian

Thursday, 7 November 2019

Recipe: New Potato and Blue Cheese Tart with Broccoli Pastry #GlutenFree #Vegetarian

New Potato and Blue Cheese Tart with Broccoli Pasty

This is a new recipe I created based on the same premise as the Butternut and Goat's Cheese tart I posted the other week. It uses the same gluten free broccoli pastry, but I think this filling is even better. After all broccoli and blue cheese is a classic combination. 💖

Be warned, this is a very rich tart - not much is needed for a good meal, especially if adding a small salad on the side.

For the Broccoli "Pastry"

600g/21oz broccoli florets - this is about 2 large heads of broccoli
90g/0.9 cup ground almonds (1 cup would be fine ;))
25g/0.25 cup grated parmesan type cheese - I used the pre-grated Italian hard cheese from Morrisons because it tastes the same and is vegetarian. Proper Parmesan cheese uses animal rennet and it therefore not vegetarian.
3 large eggs
salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the Filling

800g/28oz new potatoes - sliced - this is just over 2 cans, but you can use fresh ones if you prefer
2 tbsp oil - whichever is your fav, I used olive
salt and black pepper
9 large eggs
300g/ 1 1/5 cup ricotta (for me this is one packet and 1/5 - so you can always use another cream cheese for the last 1/5th cup if you happen to have some - I used Philadelphia to make up the weight)
grating of fresh nutmeg
150g/5.3oz blue cheese I used a softer creamy one, but Stilton would be good too and you can add more if you like your cheese flavour stronger, this just happens to be 1 packet for me.

Instructions

Make sure the broccoli florets are not too large before blitzing them in a food processor until very fine. Place in a large bowl. We need to blitz in small batches or we'll get lumps - I did it in 4.
Add the ground almonds, parmesan substitute (or real Parmesan is you are not vegetarian) and 3 eggs and mix well - seasoning to personal preference with salt and black pepper.
Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6.
Line 2 23cm/9in, 3 cm high pie tins with baking paper - the first I made the mistake of only lining the bottom - but make sure to line the sides too or it's really hard to get out, this time I used round pan liners which worked perfectly.
Press half the broccoli dough into each pie tin, across the bottom and up the sides. Try to make sure it isn't too thick, but also be on the look out for holes! I used a firm spatula to do this and it worked really well.
If your new potatoes are fresh, cook them until just tender. If they are canned, drain them. Then chop them into slices or cubes, whichever is your preference.
Line a large baking sheet with baking paper and scatter the potatoes over it.
Drizzle with 1 tbsp of oil and season with salt and pepper.
Put the tart shells and potatoes in the oven and cook until the tart shells are going golden brown and the potatoes have picked up a little colour. This took me 35min, but the original recipe said 20min. If the edges of the tart start to go too dark before the bottom cooks - cover with foil.
Put the ricotta and the 9 eggs in a medium bowl with salt and pepper (and any other seasoning you fancy) and whisk until smooth. A hand mixer is by far the easiest, but a balloon whisk will work with some elbow grease.
Take the tart shells and potatoes from the oven and divide the potatoes between the two shells.
Pour the ricotta and egg mixture into each tart.
Grate over some fresh nutmeg.
Break up the blue cheese and scatter over the top of each tart.
Put the tarts back in the oven and cook for 25-30 mins until the egg mixture is set and colouring at the edges.
Remove from the oven and allow to stand for a few minutes, before using the baking paper lining to help pull the tarts free from their cases.
If the very edges of the tart dough have gone too dark (it does catch quite easily) trim them off.
Serve in generous slices, but not too generous unless people are very, very hungry.