Lemon, green chilli and cheddar tart
This quick tart is perfect for a spring or summer lunch. It's easy to make but looks and tastes impressive. It can easily be adapted for vegans too.
Serve with the
tahini-creamed chard.
Ingredients
- 320g/11¼oz ready-rolled all-butter puff pastry (or vegan puff pastry)
- 1 free-range egg, beaten (or oat milk)
- 1 unwaxed lemon
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 150g/5½oz mature cheddar or vegan cheddar-style cheese, grated
- ½ onion, very thinly sliced
- 1 green chilli or jalapeño chilli, finely sliced
- 15g/½oz fresh flatleaf parsley or coriander or a combination of both, leaves picked
- 15g/½oz fresh mint, leaves picked
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method
Preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6.
Lay the puff pastry out on a baking tray. Working quickly to keep it cold, score about 1cm/½in from the edges all around the pastry – this will form the rim of the tart once cooked. Prick the middle of the pastry base all over with a fork and lightly brush with the beaten egg. Bake in the oven for 20–25 minutes until golden.
Slice three-quarters of the lemon, leaving the final quarter for later. Slice the lemon really thinly here, discarding the ends, seeds and any slices that have too much pith. Use a mandolin if possible. Toss the lemon slices in a bowl with 1 tablespoon oil and a pinch of sea salt.
As soon as the pastry comes out of the oven, press down on the middle of the pastry base (which will have puffed up a little). It should have a nice risen border around the outside. Turn the oven up to 220C/200C Fan/Gas 7.
Scatter the cheese evenly over the pastry base, followed by the onion, chilli and the dressed lemon slices. Return to the oven for 15 minutes and bake until the pastry is deep golden and the cheese is bubbling.
To make a herb salad, put the parsley, coriander and mint in a small bowl with the juice from the remaining quarter of a lemon and the remaining olive oil. Season with salt and pepper, then toss to dress the leaves.
To serve, remove the tart from the oven and leave to cool for a few minutes before serving with the herb salad.