Artichoke & Goat’s Cheese Tart

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Where Paris Met Jerusalem

A bake of eggs, potatoes, goat’s cheese, black olives & artichokes; this tart combines the ingredients shared between Paris & Jerusalem. Also this recipe fuses two classic techniques and recipes from both cuisines that share more ‘in common’ than ‘different’ and as such a natural combination that lead to a blissful marriage of flavours. It is always awesome when we look at two areas and their cuisines and find a way they can converse and share together, a thought that creates a perfect experience.

Mffaraket Batata is a Palestinian dish of baked eggs with roasted potatoes usually had with toasted bread; and Quiche as you know is also a version of baked eggs in a dough shell to which you can add other vegetables and aromatics too. From these similarities this recipe was inspired.

Tips

  • I make my original ‘Paris Meet Jerusalem Tart’ using a large farmer’s bread roll. I cut out the top part and hollow out the inside leaving the roll’s shell in tact. I then use that as tart shell instead of a shortcrust shell. Looks and tastes heavenly too. Try it as a variation to this recipe.
  • For a gluten-free option remove flour and any wheat from the recipe and make a potato or chickpea crust instead. Another option is spelt (aka farrow) which is a perfect substitute for gluten-free baking.

Ingredients

Serves: 4

For Pastry

  • 185g all-purpose flour
  • 100g cold unsalted butter, cubed
  • 2-3 tbsp ice cold water
  • 60g grated Parmesan cheese

For the Artichoke & Goat’s Cheese Filling

Start by making the pastry. Place the flour, butter and grated cheese in the food processor. Then pulse until the mixture resembles crumbs. Turn the processor on medium speed and (working quickly) while the motor is still running, gradually add the water (1 tbsp at a time) until the dough clings and resembles a ball. Turn the machine off and transfer the dough to a clean work surface.

Gather the dough together using your fingertips and wrap it with cling film. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

 

Blind baking: is baking the dough without the rest of ingredients especially when the dough requires more time to be done than the rest of the ingredients. The use of the beans is to weigh down the dough and prevent it from rising or creating air pockets.

Blind bake the pastry

Preheat your oven to 450°F/280°C. Lightly grease a loose-bottom pie plate or mini tartlets tray if making cocktail bites. Roll the pastry (around ¼ inch thick). Line the greased pie plate or tartlet tray holes with the pastry and trim off any excess. Top with a sheet of baking paper and baking beans then bake the pastry in the preheated oven for 10 minutes.

 

Remove the baking beans and set aside. Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F/180°C.

In a separate bowl mix together the beaten eggs, zaatar, cream and soft goat’s cheese seasoned with salt and black pepper. Pour this mixture over the blind baked pastry, filling only halfway. Line your ingredients (potatoes, artichokes, olives, and a few crumbles of goat’s cheese) over the cream in any design you like.

Bake the tart for 25 minutes for the large one or 15 minutes for the smaller portions or until the mixture is set (firm not wet) and light golden. Serve alongside a salad of assorted leaves dressed with a simple dressing (1/4 cup lemon juice, ¼ cup olive oil, 1 tsp mustard, 1 tsp honey, salt and black pepper).

thoughts after a savoury tart…

Paris is known to be the city of thinkers, Jerusalem is known to be the city of prophets, if the world was a plate could the two thoughts ever converse and serve up a harmonious experience? Is there a space where all thoughts blend and are, without clashing?

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