LEMON, GREEN CHILLI AND CHEDDAR TART
The idea for this came from watching pizza man Chris Bianco put thinly sliced lemon on top of his ciabatta. The richness of the pastry is countered by the zip of lemon, the sweetness of onion and the pep of green chilli.
Serves 4
1 ORGANIC EGG, BEATEN (OR OAT MILK FOR VEGANS) 320G READY-ROLLED PUFF PASTRY
1 UNWAXED LEMON
2 TBSP EXTRA-VIRGIN OLIVE OIL
150G MATURE CHEDDAR OR VEGAN CHEESE, GRATED ½ ONION, PEELED AND VERY THINLY SLICED
1 GREEN CHILLI OR JALAPEÑO CHILLI, FINELY SLICED SMALL BUNCH OF PARSLEY AND/OR CORIANDER, LEAVES PICKED SMALL BUNCH OF MINT, LEAVES PICKED
1 Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan oven) gas mark 6. Beat the egg in a small bowl. Lay out the puff pastry on a cold baking tray. Score the pastry to form a rim about 1cm around the edge of the rectangle – this will form the edge of the tart once cooked. Prick the middle with a fork and brush with the egg or a little oat milk. Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden.
2 As soon as the pastry comes out of the oven, press down on the middle of the base (which will have puffed up), flattening it ready for the toppings and leaving a nice risen border. Turn the oven up to 220°C (200°C fan oven) gas mark 8.
3 Slice three-quarters of the lemon really thinly, leaving the final quarter for later, discarding the ends, seeds and slices with too much pith. Toss in 1 tbsp olive oil and sea salt.
4 Scatter the cheese evenly over the baked pastry base, then the onion, lemon and chilli. Return to the oven for 15 minutes and bake until the pastry is golden and the cheese bubbling.
5 Put the parsley, coriander and mint into a small bowl with the juice from the remaining quarter of a lemon and 1 tbsp olive oil. Season, then toss to dress the leaves.
6 Remove the tart from the oven and allow to cool for a few minutes before serving with the dressed herbs.