This is my take on the traditional Flemish dish of Flamiche. I use walnut pastry as it adds an extra dimension to the dish. The pastry can be a little short, so just patch it up and plug any holes in the tin and it will come out fine. It is simple and really delicious, more than the sum of its parts.
Serves 6
Preparation time: 15 mins, plus 30-45 mins chilling time
Cooking time: 1 hr
200g wholemeal flour, plus extra for dusting
100g walnuts
100g unsalted butter, diced and well chilled
1/2 tsp sea salt flakes
1tbsp cider vinegar mixed with 2tbsp cold water
50g unsalted butter
1kg leeks, trimmed weight, sliced into 0.5cm-1cm rounds
300g creme fraiche
2 eggs, beaten
3 heads baby gem lettuce, stalk trimmed and leaves separated
Dressing
40g dijon mustard
25g honey
25g cider vinegar
75g olive oil
Method
First make the pastry. Put the flour, walnuts, butter and salt in a food processor. Pulse until the mix resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add in the vinegar and 2tbsp of cold water, pulse a couple more times to combine. Turn out and bring the mix together into a mass. Cover and let sit for 15 minutes.
Dust the work surface with flour, place the dough in the middle, sprinkle with some more flour. Roll out the pastry in long strokes going one direction at a time, avoid rolling back and forth over the pastry. The diameter of the dough should be 30cm.
Roll the pastry onto the rolling pin. Lift it up and over the tin and roll the pastry back out over the tin. Lift the edges and let the pastry fall into the tin, gently coax into the edges trying not to stretch the dough. Any extra pastry that comes over the edge just tuck over. If it breaks, patch any holes with extra dough. Place in the fridge to rest for 30-45 minutes.
Heat the oven to 220C/200C Fan /Gas 7. Place the tart case on a tray, line with baking paper and fill with baking beans. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes. Then remove the baking beans and cook a further 10 minutes until golden. Remove from the oven and set aside.
Meanwhile in a large pan melt the butter and add in the leeks with a good pinch of salt. Cook for 5-7 minutes until they are bright green and just tender. Stir in the creme fraiche and follow with the eggs. Mix well to combine and add a few grinds of black pepper. Pour the mix into the tart and return to the oven. Bake for 25-35 minutes until just set and golden on top.
Mix the dressing ingredients together and dress the lettuce well. Serve alongside slices of the tart.
