Chicken, Leek & Yellow Pepper Tart
Something I make for a light lunch, when friends come over for an afternoon of chats or as part of an afternoon alone when I just want to get my book out and munch on something comfortable and full of flavour.
You know I love chicken, so more often than not there’ll be some part of a chicken in my fridge, and this is another way I get to use every bit of the leftovers.
There’s an unwritten rule in our house that leftovers become another meal and with cold chicken it’s not that difficult to find ways of using it, but it’s always great to have more dishes in my repertoire.
It’s surprising how extra flavour can be added by just softening the leeks and yellow pepper in a little butter, oil and thyme, and when this is done what’s let are small pieces of taste bombs that sit at the bottom of this tart.
Go on, give it a go and enjoy your sweet life!
What You Need
1 x Short Crust Pastry – See Recipe
200g Cooked & Cooled Chicken - Shredded
200ml Double Cream
3 Large Eggs
2 Large Leeks – Cleaned & Sliced into rounds
3 Tbsp Dried Thyme
2 Tbsp Wholegrain Mustard
1 Tbsp Vegetable Oil
Knob of butter plus extra for tin preparation
Salt & Pepper
Make the vegetables a little chunky
Pastry
200g Pain Flour - Plus extra for tin preparation
100g Cold Butter - cut into small pieces– See Tip Box
65ml Cold Water
Line the prepared tin with the pastry, leaving an over hang.
How It’s Done
Pastry
Place all the flour and the pieces of butter into a food processor and let it run for a couple of minutes until it resembles breadcrumbs
With the food processor running, pour in the cold water and let it run until it comes together into a soft dough ball
Wrap the dough in cling film and place in the fridge for no less than 30 minutes
Prepare a 23cm loose bottomed fluted tin by rubbing the inside of the tin with butter and then dusting with flour – making sure to tap out the excess
After the pastry has rested in the fridge, dust the work-surface with a little flour and roll the pastry out big enough to line the prepared tin with a little extra overhang
Lay the pastry in the prepared tin and gently press it into all of the ridges - See Tip Box
Leave a little overhang
Use a fork to prick all over the bottom of the pastry
Place the pastry case back into the fridge for a further 15 minutes
While the pastry is chilling, heat the oven to 180c
Once the chilling time is over, line the pastry case with foil or non-stick baking parchment and then fill with baking beans or uncooked rice, ready to blind bake – See Tip Box
Fill the lined tart case with baking beans to blind bake
Place the tin in the hot oven and blind bake for 10 minutes
Remove the baking beans and the non-stick baking parchment/foil and put the pastry case back into the oven to bake for another 10-15 minutes until the pastry is firm and a pale biscuit colour – See Tip Box
Once the tart case is out of the oven, use a sharp knife and go around the outside of the tin cutting off the overhanging pastry - just to neaten up the pastry.
Set the pastry case aside until needed
Turn the oven down to 160c
Layers of grain mustard, leeks and peppers, shredded chicken and then filled with the egg mixture.
Filling
Put the vegetable oil and butter into a frying pan and let the butter melt
Place the prepared leeks, the chopped yellow pepper and 2 Tbsp of the dried thyme into the pan and let it cook on a low heat until the leeks are soft and tender – stirring so that they don’t burn
baked until set
Assembly & Cook
Spread the mustard on the bottom of the pastry case.
Lay the softened leeks and yellow pepper on top of the mustard
Then add the shredded chicken to the tart
Place the three eggs, double cream, 1 Tbsp dried thyme and salt and pepper into a bowl and beat together until they are well mixed.
Place the tin onto an oven proof tray – just in case there is any over flow
Carefully pour the egg mixture into the pie case and put the tray into the oven to bake until the tart is set – around 30 - 50 minutes – See Tip Box
Tip Box
Butter in the pastry – If using butter with no salt, add a pinch of salt into the pastry.
Press pastry into the tin – A good way to ensure that the pastry gets into all of the ridges is to use a ball of leftover pastry. Use it to press the pastry into all of the ridges of the tin.
Blind Bake the Pastry– 1) Blind baking is a way to ensure that there is no soggy bottom.
2) Covering the pastry with foil or non-stick baking parchment, stops the beans or uncooked rice from sticking to the pastry.
3) Using baking beans or uncooked rice to weigh down the foil during blind baking, helps the heat distribute across the bottom of the pastry.
Baking Time – All ovens vary so adjust the cooking time accordingly.
Cut a big slice and enjoy
