Goats Cheese New Potato Tart Recipes

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Unroll the pastry onto a non-stick baking sheet. Using the tip of a sharp knife, score around the pastry's edge to within 2cm of the edges. Prick the pastry all over the inside of the marked lines.
• Thinly slice the potatoes, then boil or steam for 6-8 mins, until just tender. Drain and leave to cool.3 Crumble the goat's cheese fairly evenly over the pastry, making sure that you keep inside the marked lines. Roughly chop the parsley and tarragon, and snip the chives, then sprinkle the herbs over the goat's cheese.
• Scatter the potatoes over the filling, then sprinkle with pepper, and a little salt if you wish. You can make the tart to this stage up to 2 hrs ahead. Drizzle with the oil and bake for 18-20 mins, until the pastry is crisp and the potatoes are lightly browned. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 425 degrees. On a lightly floured surface, roll puff pastry into a 10-by-14-inch rectangle. Place puff pastry on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Using a paring knife, lightly score a border around the perimeter of the puff pastry, about a 1/2 inch away from the edges. Using a fork, prick the pastry every few inches inside the border to prevent puffing, then bake on top rack until puffy and lightly golden, about 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly.
• Meanwhile, fit a large pot with a steamer basket. Add enough water to come just below the steamer basket and bring to a boil. Add the potatoes, reduce the heat to a simmer, cover and steam until potatoes can be pierced with the tip of a knife, but are still firm, about 20 minutes. Transfer steamer basket to a large bowl and allow to cool until you can handle the potatoes. Slice potatoes crosswise 1/4-inch thick and season with salt and pepper.
• While potatoes cook, blend ricotta, goat cheese, paprika and 1 teaspoon salt in a food processor until smooth. Working within the border, spread the cheese mixture evenly on the puff pastry. Arrange the potato slices in a single layer on top of cheese mixture and brush the potatoes with the melted butter.
• Transfer to the oven and bake until the edges of the cheese are slightly golden, about 20 minutes. Sprinkle with fresh thyme leaves and serve.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 190 degrees Celsius Roll out pastry to fit a deep 23cm loose bottomed tart tin. Wrap pastry carefully around rolling pin and unravel over tart tin. press gently around sides of tin. Chill 30 minutes, then line with greaseproof papter and fill with baking beans. Bake blind 15 minutes. Remove paper and beans and return tin to oven 5 minutes until pastry is golden. Remove tin from oven and set aside. Reduce oven temperature to 180 degrees Celsius.
• Heat butter and oil in a large frying pan and add onions and potato. Cook gently 10-15 minutes, turning every so often until veg is golden and tender. Season to taste, then add garlic and thyme. Cook another 3 minutes. Tip filling into pastry case. Add goat's cheese and spread in an even layer.
• Whisk eggs and creme fraiche together. Season to taste and pour into pastry case. Bake 30-35 minutes until lightly golden brown. You may have to cover edges of pastry with foil half-way through to prevent pastry burning. Tart is done when center is just set. Serve warm.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5. Roll out the pastry so it is large enough to fit a deep 23cm loose-bottomed tart tin, then line the tin with the pastry. Chill for 30 mins. Line the pastry with greaseproof paper, fill with baking beans and bake for 15 mins. Remove the paper and beans and return the tin to the oven for 5 mins until golden, then remove and set aside. Reduce oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4.
• Heat the butter and oil in a large frying pan, add the onions and potato and cook over a very gentle heat for 10-15 mins, turning occasionally, until golden and tender. Season if you want to, then add the garlic and thyme leaves, and cook for a further 3 mins. Tip into the pastry case along with the goat's cheese and spread out evenly.
• Whisk the eggs and crème fraîche together, season if you want to, then pour into the pastry case and bake for 30-35 mins until lightly golden brown and just set in the centre. Serve warm, with rocket leaves scattered over if using.

Steps:

• Make the Shortcrust Pastry, recipe follows, leaving to chill for 30 minutes before using. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line the tart tin with the dough and bake 'blind'. Cook's Note: Blind Baking. To pre-bake a pastry shell before adding filling, first chill the pastry, and then line your pan. Line the pastry with foil, parchment or greaseproof paper, leaving plenty to come up the sides. Fill with baking beans (alternatively, for a really smooth finish use plastic wrap to line the pastry: place 2 sheets over the pastry, add the beans and bring the edges into the center.) Whichever method you choose, bake 'blind' in a 350 degree F oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the pastry feels dry. Remove the paper and beans, and brush with a little leftover beaten egg, and return to the oven for 2 minutes. If there are any little holes or cracks in the pastry, just patch it up with any leftover raw pastry before you return it to the oven. Remove from the oven, and set aside in the pan while you make the filling. The pastry can be baked a day in advance and kept covered until you need it. Filling: Wash and dry the spinach, removing any tough stalks and stems, if using large spinach leaves. In a medium-size saucepan, cook the spinach in just the water that's clinging to it, over a low heat until it wilts. Drain the spinach in a colander or sieve, and let cool a little, then squeeze most of the moisture out with your hands, and roughly chop. Meanwhile, steam or boil the potatoes, until just cooked, and cool the potatoes on a tray or board. When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, cut them into 1/4-inch thick slices. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk the eggs, and add the cream, salt, and pepper, lemon zest, nutmeg, cayenne pepper, and grated Parmesan. Whisk these ingredients together, and then add the spinach, and mix through. Season well as the potatoes are very mild and need a good contrast. Spread the potato slices over the base of the prepared tart, and dot with the goat's cheese, reserving a few slices of each to place on the top, if you wish. Gently spoon the spinach cream mixture over the cheese, as high as you can go. If you are concerned about spillage, carry the tart minus the last few spoons of filling over to the oven. Place the pan in the oven, and then add the remaining filling, and any remaining potato, and cheese slices. Bake until the tart is golden brown and just set in the center, about 35 to 40 minutes. Remove the tart from the oven, and let cool for about 10 minutes before serving.
• Shortcrust Pastry
• Place the flour, salt, and butter in a food processor and whiz or pulse briefly. Add half the beaten egg and continue to whiz. You might add a little more egg, but not too much as the mixture should be just moist enough to come together. If making by hand, rub the butter into the flour until it resembles coarse bread crumbs. Then, using your hands, add just enough egg to bring the dough together. With your hands, flatten out the ball of dough, until it is about 3/4-inch thick, and then wrap in plastic wrap or place in a plastic bag and leave in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes or, if you are pushed for time, in the freezer for 10 to 15 minutes. Makes 1 crust (about 14 ounces).

Steps:

• Place the potatoes in a pot and cover with cold, salted water. Cook until the potatoes are tender. Drain, peel and slice into 1/2-inch rounds.
• Whip the cream until it forms soft peaks, then gently fold in the egg yolk. Set aside.
• In a bowl, whisk together the vinegar with half the herbs and shallots. Slowly whisk in the oil. Set aside.
• Season the potatoes with salt and pepper to taste. Toss with the remaining herbs, the shallots and all but 2 tablespoons of the vinaigrette. Place the potatoes in the bottom of 6 small metal pastry rings set on a cookie sheet. Place a slice of cheese on top of each, pressing the cheese with a spoon to the edge of the ring. Refrigerate for half an hour.
• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.
• Remove the rings from the potatoes. Place the potato-cheese rounds in the oven for 7 minutes. Spread 1 tablespoon of cream on top of each and glaze briefly under the broiler. With a spatula, carefully transfer to 6 small plates. Garnish with mesclun and drizzle the remaining vinaigrette over all.