Leek, goat’s cheese, walnut & sage tart

I’ve had a bumper crop of sage in the garden this summer—big, bushy, fragrant and absolutely thriving. So naturally, I’ve been finding every excuse to use it and this leek, goat’s cheese, walnut and sage tart has made more than a few appearances in my kitchen lately.

It’s one of those dishes that feels a bit special without being the least bit complicated. The leeks are gently softened until sweet and silky, the goat’s cheese brings that perfect tang, the walnuts add crunch and the sage? It ties everything together with that lovely savoury depth that just tastes like autumn.

I usually serve it warm with a simple salad and call it dinner. It also holds up beautifully at room temperature, so it’s a great one to make ahead or bring along to a lunch with friends. And if you’re lucky enough to have leftovers, it’s great the next day too.

Ingredients:

2 ready-rolled sheets flaky pastry
25 g butter
2 leeks, white and pale green parts only, thinly sliced
300 ml cream
3 eggs
100 gram goat’s cheese
1/2 cup walnut pieces
Handful of sage leaves
Salt & freshly ground black pepper

Leek, Goat’s Cheese, Walnut & Sage Tart – let’s go:

Grease a 25cm tart tin with removable base. I use a 30 x 20cm tin, you could also use a 25cm round tart tin with a removable base.
Line the tart tin with pastry, trimming to make it fit neatly. Chill until needed.
Melt the butter in a large frying pan and cook the leeks over a gentle heat for around 15min until tender. Set aside to cool.
Preheat the oven to 180°C.
Lightly whisk the cream and eggs together in a small bowl.
Arrange the cooled leeks in the pastry base, crumble over the goat’s cheese and scatter with walnuts and sage leaves. Season with salt and pepper.
Gently pour over the cream mixture, then bake for 30min or until just set.
Allow to sit for at least 10min before lifting from the tin and serving.

Notes:

Tart tins with removable bases can be a bit leaky, especially if your filling is on the runnier side. To save your oven from any drips, pop a tray on the shelf below—just in case.
Get ahead: You can prepare the tart case, cook the leeks and whisk the cream and eggs ahead of time—just keep everything chilled and assemble when ready to bake.

Original recipe: NZ Woman’s Weekly

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