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    Tuesday, March 02, 2010

    Richard Corrigan is a Michelin Star Irish Chef based in London. He also has his own TV shows and appears fairly regularly on Market Kitchen.
    I watched him make this Parmesan Pastry Cheese and Leek Tart
    Really appealed to me and I was right, it is excellent.

    He just used goats cheese but I felt that the addition of Perfecto Italian Ricotta would give it a lift.

    And it did. I made 2 tarts, one goats cheese only and the second a mixture of Goats Cheese and Ricotta.
    The mixed cheeses definitely won. Much more creamy and if you are not wrapped in the flavour of Goats Cheese (i.e. my friend Mary) you will like this. Ricotta on its own, is a bit bland, but 50/50 is just great. Of course the Parmesan pastry is really excellent and easy peasy.
    He used rings on a lined baking tray but you can use pie tins.

    So here we go.
    The Pastry
    250g plain flour
    75g freshly grated Parmesan
    Pinch salt
    100g cold butter grated
    1 egg lightly beaten
    1 egg yolk, for brushing

    Sift the flour and salt into a large mixing bowl
    Add grated cheese and grated butter

    Rub the mixture until it resembles breadcrumbs
     
    Then pour in the egg.
    Use your hands to bring the mix together to form a dough.
    If the mixture is too wet add a little flour
    Conversely if too dry add a splash of cold water.
     

    Wrap the dough in cling film and transfer to the fridge to chill for about 1 hour.
    Preheat oven to 120C

    Grease your rings/pie tins with butter

    Remove pastry from fridge and roll out to about 3 mm
    Lightly lift the pastry on a rolling pin and line your tins.
    You need to bake blind.
    Don't be put off by this, its very simple.

    Just cut a "catouche"...A circle of baking paper
    Easy to make
    Make an paper airplane
    Put the point in the middle of your ring and cut off the outside
    Open up and voila - A circle
    Pop it into the pastry lined tin
    Fill with rice or lentils
    You can re-use these, just keep them in a plastic container till next time.
    Bake for 20 minutes
    Take out of oven
    Brush with lightly beaten egg yolk
    Bake into the oven 2-3 minutes
    Cool.

    Turn heat up to 170C
    The Filling
    3 eggs
    700 mls double cream
    sae salt and freshly ground black pepper
    100 gns Soft goats Cheese
    100 gms Perfecto Italiano Ricotta
    1 large leek, outer leaves removed, washed and chopped

    Blanch leeks in boiling salted water (about 3 minutes)
    Mix eggs and cream together in a bowl
    Season with Salt and Pepper
    Gently stir in Goats cheese, Ricotta and leeks

    Fill cooled pastry cases with mixture

    Cook in oven 15- 20 minutes
    Test with a knife
    It should come out clean.
    Don't overdo it though
    Nothing worse than a tough tart.
    Look at that. Yumo!

    Cool to room temperature and serve with a nice little green salad on the side.
    OR Not!

    Ricotta Desserts next and a competition
    You can win this wonderful set
    Le Creuset baking dish with a Ramekin Set and a spatula 
    Plus some Perfecto Italiano Ricotta
    Details in my next blog.
    Wouldn't mind it myself.

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