Taleggio tart with walnut pastry

Method

• step 1

  To make the pastry, whizz the flour and walnuts in a food processor until the walnuts are very fine. Add the butter and cheese and whizz again until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add the beaten egg and 1 tsp cold water. Pulse until the mixture forms a dough, adding a little more water if needed. Wrap in cling film and chill for 30 mins.

• step 2

  Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pastry to the thickness of a 50p piece and use it to line a 23cm tart tin. Prick the base several times with a fork and return to the fridge to chill for a further 15 mins. (Don’t be tempted to skip this step – it will help prevent any shrinkage.)

• step 3

  Heat the olive oil in a frying pan over a medium heat and add the shallots and garlic. Fry for 5-10 mins until the shallots have softened and are golden. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly.

• step 4

  Line your pastry with baking parchment, fill with baking beans and bake for 15 mins. Remove the parchment and return to the oven for a further 10 mins – this will allow the base to dry out before you add the filling. Reduce oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3.

• step 5

  Crack the egg into a medium-sized mixing bowl and add the yolks. Beat lightly with a fork before pouring in the cream. Stir in the shallots and garlic, as well as three-quarters of the Talegio, three-quarters of the cress and the lemon zest. Season.

• step 6

  Pour the mixture into the tart case, add the remaining cheese and season with pepper.

• step 7

  Bake for 40-50 mins until the filling is set and feels firm to the touch. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10 mins. Scatter over the remaining cress and lemon zest.