Goat’s cheese, thyme and black grape tart

Serves: 8
Course: lunch
Cooking Time: 1 hr 30 mins
Ingredients
  • FOR THE GRAPE JAM:
  • 500g seedless black grapes, halved
  • 2tbs golden brown sugar
  • Juice of 1 orange
  • A sprig of thyme
  • FOR THE PASTRY:
  • 75ml lukewarm whole milk
  • 1 x 7g sachet of dried yeast
  • 220g strong white bread flour
  • Pinch of salt
  • 1tsp golden caster sugar
  • 100g butter, softened
  • FOR THE CUSTARD:
  • 5 whole eggs
  • 150g rindless goat's cheese, crumbled
  • 150ml milk
  • 150ml cream
  • Salt and white pepper
  • Pinch of grated nutmeg
  • 1tsp fresh thyme leaves, picked

For the grape jam:

1 Put all the ingredients in a pan and cook over a medium heat until all the liquid has evaporated and the grapes have become jammy. Allow to cool.

For the pastry:

1 Butter and lightly flour a 30cm loose-bottomed tart tin.

2 Dissolve the yeast into the milk in a small bowl.

3 Put the flour, salt, sugar and butter into a food processor and pulse together to form a pastry. Tip out on to a floured board and knead a couple of times to make an even ball.

4 Wrap the pastry in cling film and chill it for 30 minutes or so to firm up.

5 Roll out the pastry into a round sheet, flouring lightly as you go, and rolling the pastry until it is 2-3mm thick with a 2-3cm overhang around the edges of the tin.

6 Gently press the pastry into the sides and edges of the tin, allowing the excess to overhang.

7 Preheat the oven to 200 degrees.

8 Cut some parchment to go on the base and up the sides of the tin then fill it with rice or baking beans, up to half way.

9 Allow the tart to rest in the fridge for 20 minutes while the oven heats up.

10 Bake blind for 15 minutes, then lift out the parchment and rice and cook for another five minutes, until crisp.

For the custard:

1 Blend all the ingredients together with a hand blender or liquidiser.

To bake:

1 Turn down the oven to 165 degrees.

2 Smooth the grape jam on the base of the tart, then carefully pour the goat’s cheese filling in.

3 Bake for 30-35 minutes, until the tart is set but still has a gentle wobble in the centre.

4 Serve warm or at room temperature with a crisp green salad.

Paul Flynn

Paul Flynn

Paul Flynn is a chef, restaurateur and contributor to The Irish Times. He and his wife, Máire, run the Tannery restaurant and cookery school in Dungarvan, Co Waterford