Lemon, Green Chilli And Cheddar Tart

This recipe is from Easy Wins by Anna Jones, an English cookbook writer, well-known for her focus on vegetarian food.  Yep, another Cookbook Club book!  Mr P. and myself were vegetarian for a decade back in our younger days. 

I became one (at 16) because my friend became one, and she became one because her older brother became one!  Not sure why hubby was one :=)  It was pretty trendy back in the day.  And boy, did we live with a lot of vego and vegan crazies back then.  (He now tells me it's because I was one when he met me! - vego not crazy, hopefully.)

Mr P. had a harem living with him at the time I met him.  He had to teach more than one young woman how to cook, and live as an adult basically.  Thankfully, my mum taught me (and my sister) how to cook when we were wee sprogs.  And I could definitely change a lightbulb already!      

myself and Mr P. when youngsters

I decided to add sliced potato to this tart to make it a bit more substantial!  So slice the tatties, and either steam them, or bake them in the oven till just tender - or both! as in, steam then bake as I (probably) did.

herby, cheesy, potato-ey deliciousness

Serves 4:

ingredients:

(Action your spuds first!)

2 sheets of butter puff pastry, mostly thawed (but not completely)

1-2 Tbs of milk of your choice

150g./5 hefty ounces Cheddar cheese, grated   see Notes

1 red medium onion, finely sliced

1 lemon, thinly sliced

1 Tbs EV olive oil

1-2 green or red chillies, finely sliced (heat level of your choosing)

2-3 medium potatoes, thinly sliced, and steamed or baked (optional)

1-2 big handfuls of herbs, chopped or torn - I used parsley (and dried mint)  see Notes

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Method:

Place the sheets of pastry on a baking paper-lined tray (or 2), prick their little bottoms, score the edge about 1 cm/0.4 inch in, brush the bottoms with a bit of (oat or almond maybe) milk then bake them at 180C/360F for about 20-25 minutes till golden

Let them cool off for a bit (after pressing down gently on the middle to get rid of any puffage), while you grate the cheese and slice up the onion, lemon and chilli

Toss the lemon slices with 1 Tbs of EV olive oil and a big pinch of salt

Up goes the oven to 200C/400F, while you scatter the cheese over the bottom of the pastry, then you add the onion, potatoes, lemon and chilli slices

Bake for about 20 minutes till it's golden and the cheese is bubbling

Throw on the herbs and seasoning, and some olive oil if you fancy

Serve with salad or veg.

Notes:

Anna says to use a mature Cheddar; here in Australia, we call it a Vintage or Tasty cheese

She also says to use 15g/0.5 oz mint and also of parsley and/or coriander (half a bunch of each) but I was happy with a bit less of the green stuff

Anna also says to first bake the pastry at 200C for 20-25 minutes, then when the toppings are on, to bake at 220C for another 15 minutes, but I found the slower temp. just fine - but you choose

slice up your tatties!

get slicing and chopping, my friends

put that tart together over the pre-baked pastry sheet :=)

and bake again with the cheese, onion, potatoes, lemon and chilli

throw on your herbs and seasoning

eat with a salad or two - we had coleslaw, and chickpea and couscous salad

c. Sherry M.