Broccoli, pea and cheddar tart

If you don't have broccoli in your fridge to make this tart, don't worry. Use frozen spinach or more peas.

If you've got some broccoli in the fridge, use it in a cheddar tart. Credit: Plum Books / Jeremy Simons

• serves

  6

• prep

  15 minutes

• cook

  1 hour

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• butter, for greasing
• 1 head broccoli (about 200 g), cut into florets
• 65 g (½ cup) frozen baby peas
• 445 g frozen shortcrust pastry (see Note), thawed (or make my pastry recipe)
• 6 eggs
• 500 ml (2 cups) pure or thickened cream
• pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
• salt flakes and freshly ground
• black pepper
• 60 g cheddar, coarsely grated
• 20 g parmesan, finely grated

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Grease a 30 cm x 20 cm rectangular tart tin and line with baking paper.

2. Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil and add the broccoli. When the water comes back to the boil, add the peas and cook for 1 minute. Drain and pat dry with paper towel.

3. Roll out the pastry between two sheets of baking paper to form a 2–3 mm thick rectangle that will cover the base and sides of the tart tin. Place the pastry in the tin, ensuring there are no air bubbles, and trim the excess pastry with a small sharp knife. Prick the pasty with a fork and line with a piece of baking paper. Fill with baking weights, dried beans or uncooked rice and blind bake for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and carefully remove the baking paper and weights, then return to the oven and bake for a further 5 minutes until the pastry is dry and lightly golden.  Set aside to cool a little.

4. Whisk the eggs with the cream and add the nutmeg, salt and pepper.

5. Place the tart shell on a baking tray and scatter the broccoli and peas over the base. Sprinkle the cheeses over the vegetables, then carefully pour on the cream mixture. Return the tart to the oven on the lowest shelf (this helps to crisp the base). Bake for 30–35 minutes until the tart is puffed and golden with a very slight wobble in the centre. Serve warm or cold.

Note

• If using frozen square shortcrust pastry from the supermarket for this tart, use two thawed sheets. Lay the first sheet over half the tin and press into the base and sides. Place the other piece of pastry on the other side and join by pressing along the centre with a fork (just like patchwork). Cut away the excess pastry from the sides with a small sharp knife.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.