Lentil tart with sweet potato and crème fraîche By Arthur Potts Dawson
Ingredients:
- 300g dried Puy lentils
- 2tsp Dijon Mustard
- 500g Shortcrust Pastry (requires preparation)
- Butter for greasing
- Plain flour for dusting
- 300g Swiss Chard cut into 5cms pieces
- 75ml Olive Oil
- 1 Large Red Onion, finely chopped
- 300g Sweet Potato, peeled and cut into 2cm cubes
- 2 Garlic Cloves, finely chopped
- 6 tbsp Creme Fraiche
- 3 tbsp finely chopped Flat-Lead Parsley
- 100g soft White Breadcrumbs
- Salt and Pepper
Method:
Rinse the lentils under cold running water. Put them into a saucepan and cover them with fresh cold water at a depth of about 4cm (11/2in). Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 25–30 minutes until soft to the bite – it helps to structure the tart if the lentils are a little soft. Drain the lentils, season with salt, pepper, and mustard, and set aside.
Grease a 26cm (101/2in) pastry ring 8cm (31/4in) deep and dust with flour. Place it on a baking sheet lined with greaseproof paper. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured work surface and use to line the pastry ring. Leave to rest in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, cook the Swiss chard in a saucepan of salted boiling water for 5 minutes, then drain and set aside. Heat half the olive oil in a frying pan, add the onion and garlic and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes until the onion is soft, stirring frequently. Add the chard, season with salt and pepper and slowly braise the chard mixture for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
While the chard is cooking, cook the sweet
potatoes in a saucepan of salted boiling water
for 25 minutes until they are just tender but
still with a slight bite. Drain and set aside.
Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/gas mark 4.Line the tart case wit the greaseproof paper and fill it with dried beans to prevent the pastry from rising. Bake for 15
minutes. Remove from the oven, lift out paper and beans (reuse the beans for future baking), and leave to cool. Mix the
chard, lentils, and 2 tablespoons of the crème fraîche and sweet potato together. Check the seasoning and add half the parsley. Mix together well and then spoon the mixture into the tart case. Sprinkle the breadcrumbs and the rest of the parsley over the top of the tart, drizzle over the remaining olive oil and then return to the oven for 15–20 minutes, which is enough time to colour the top and heat the middle.Serve in slices with dollops of the remaining crème fraîche on the side.
