Recipes : French Country Tart Variations : Food Network

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French Country Tart Variations
Recipe courtesy Dan Smith and Steve McDonagh

1 prepared tart shell, Pate Brisee recipe follows

7 eggs
1 cup heavy cream
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon white pepper
Pinch ground nutmeg

Variation #1 - Lorraine:
1 small onion, sliced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
5 slices bacon, cooked crisp
1/2 cup shredded Gruyere

Variation #2 – olives, roasted red pepper and goat cheese
1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives, roughly chopped
2 store bought roasted red peppers, roughly chopped
4 ounces crumbled goat cheese

Special Equipment: 9 by 2 1/2-inch deep foil pan

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Whisk the eggs and cream together in a large mixing bowl. Add the salt, pepper and nutmeg and whisk
to blend.

For the Lorraine tart: put the onion into a small skillet with a tablespoon of olive oil. Place the
pan over medium heat and cook until the onion is translucent, about 10 to 15 minutes. Brush the
bottom of the prepared tart shell with the Dijon and spread the cooked onion, bacon and Gruyere on
top. Pour the custard over the filling and place the pan into the bottom half of the preheated oven.

Bake the tart until the filling is slightly puffed and golden, about 40 minutes. Remove from the
oven and let cool 10 minutes before serving.

For the olives, roasted red pepper and goat cheese tart: Put the olives, roasted red pepper and goat
cheese into the prepared tart shell and pour the custard over the filling. Bake as above.

Pate Brisee:
Pan release spray
2 tablespoons cornmeal
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
7 tablespoons butter, chilled and cut into bits
3 tablespoons ice water

Prepare the tart pan by spraying it with pan release spray and coating it with the cornmeal. Knock
out any excess cornmeal and set the pan aside.

Blend the flour and salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Add the butter
and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Transfer the mix to a large mixing bowl and add
the water 1 tablespoon at a time, stirring constantly with a fork. Transfer the dough to a floured
surface and knead just until it forms a ball. Flatten the dough into a disk and wrap in plastic
wrap. Refrigerate at least one hour.

On a floured surface, roll the dough out to a 12-inch circle. Carefully lift it into the prepared
pan, pressing into the bottom and up the sides. Leave at least a 1-inch overhang, which will be used
to crimp the edges. Prick the bottom of the pan all over and place in the freezer for 15 minutes.

Yield: 1 tart shell