Denise says:
These delicious individual tartlets are made with Lancashire cheese pastry. Chevingtons Lancashire cheese is similar in texture to feta but not as salty. The tartlets are ideal for a starter, part of a buffet, picnics or packed lunches. Serve them hot, cold or warm and enjoy with a tomato and olive salad.
Preparation Time: 45 minutes
Cooking Time: 1 hour
Serves: 8 people
Ingredients:
Pastry250g plain flour
Pinch salt
1 egg
75g margarine
100g Chevingtons Lancashire cheese
Filling
750g frozen spinach –defrosted
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 eggs – lightly whisked
284ml (½ pint) single cream
100g Chevingtons Lancashire Cheese
100g pine nuts
Method
1) Place the flour, salt, egg, margarine and Lancashire cheese in to the food processor whiz together to a form a dough. Wrap the dough in cling film, slightly flatten and refrigerate for 30 minutes.2) Heat a frying pan with olive oil. Cook the spinach gently to remove any excess water. It must be a dry as possible.
3) Season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Stir in the cream and eggs. Set aside.
4) Pre-heat the oven to 200 C/ 400 F/ Gas mark 6.
5) Cut the pastry in half. Place on to a lightly floured work surface. Roll out and make 8 circle templates about 15 cm diameter to fit 11 ½ cm individual loose-based tins. Press the pastry into the tartlet tins and line with foil and insert baking beans. Do the same with the remaining pastry.
6) Bake the tartlets for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and baking beans
7) Crumble the Lancashire cheese into the base of the cooked tartlets. Spoon in the creamed spinach mixture and bake for 20 minutes. Take out of the oven and scatter the pine kernels over the tartlets and cook for a final 5 minutes.
To serve the stylish way: Decorate the plate with some chopped tomatoes and olives. Drizzle over a little extra virgin olive oil.