Martin Hollis, executive chef at the Old Course, bakes up a cheese and potato tart, just perfect for an autumn day
As summer moves into autumn, it’s the perfect time to bake a savoury tart. Try my recipe for a cheese and potato tart – it’s a lovely hearty dish, loved by vegetarians and meat eaters alike. Great for autumn weekends and leftovers can be used for lunch boxes.
You’ll need: unsalted butter for greasing, 320g ready-rolled all-butter shortcrust pastry; 2 tbsp olive oil; 400g floury potatoes such as Maris Piper, thinly sliced; 1 large onion, thinly sliced; 1 leek, sliced; 1tsp fresh thyme leaves; 150g mature cheddar, grated or crumbled; 200mls double cream; 3 medium free-range eggs.
Grease a 1.2 litre pie dish. Unroll the pastry and use to line the dish. Gently press the pastry into the sides of the dish, then trim the excess and use the trimmings to patch up any holes in the sides. Chill in the fridge for about 15 minutes. Preheat the oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Prick the pastry base all over with a fork, line with baking paper, then pour in baking beans or rice up to the top of the dish. Bake for 15 minutes until the sides are firm, then remove the paper and beans/rice and cook for 10 minutes more until lightly golden all over. Remove from the oven and trim any uneven pastry edges with a serrated knife. Put the dish on a cooling rack.
Meanwhile, put a large frying pan over a high heat and add the oil. Fry the potatoes, onion and leek for 20-25 minutes, stirring regularly, until the potatoes are cooked – they will be tender when pierced with a fork. Stir in the thyme and most of the cheese, then arrange in the pastry case. Whisk together the cream and eggs, season well, then pour over the potatoes, making sure it gets into all the nooks and crannies. To get the egg mixture to seep right down between the layers, shake the dish and use a fork to lift up the potatoes. Don’t worry if the egg mixture bleeds through the pastry – it’ll make the tart even more sturdy to slice.
Sprinkle over the remaining cheese, then bake for 40-45 minutes until golden and the egg is set. Allow to stand for 5 minutes, then serve.
Chef’s tip
This is a great dish to use up any surplus cheese you may have, the stronger the cheese the better flavour. To make the tart meaty, fry chopped chorizo, then add to the potatoes and onion with the leaves of two fresh rosemary sprigs.
