Bacon, Onion and Brie Tart

, from Issue #44. August, 2015
Photography by Manja Wachsmuth.
Bacon, Onion and Brie Tart

I like to use a 33 cm pizza tin with a perforated base, as this allows the heat to penetrate easily and create a really crisp bottom to the tart. Make a free-form tart on a flat baking tray if you don’t have a pizza tin.

Serves: 4–6

INGREDIENTS

350 grams puff pastry
1 egg, beaten

Filling
2 teaspoons olive oil
150 grams streaky bacon, sliced 1 cm pieces (we use Freedom Farms)
1 large leek, thinly sliced
1 large onion, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tablespoon chopped thyme
1/3 cup cream
1 egg
¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
125 grams Brie, rind removed, diced

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 180˚C.

Roll the pastry out on a lightly floured bench to a 35 cm circle. Place in the tart tin and brush a 1 cm border with the egg wash. Fold the border over and press firmly to seal. Pinch the border up to form a small rim to hold the filling. Refrigerate until ready to cook. Reserve the remaining egg wash.

Filling: Heat the oil in a large sauté pan and cook the bacon, leek, onion, garlic and thyme with a generous pinch of salt until the vegetables are very tender, stirring occasionally. Transfer to a large bowl and cool for 15 minutes. Whisk the cream, egg and nutmeg together and stir into the vegetable mixture along with the Brie.

Brush the border with the remaining egg wash and spread the bacon mixture evenly over the base, but not over the border.

Bake for 25 minutes until the pastry is crisp and the filling is puffed and golden. Serve with a green salad. 

Cook’s tip: Non-stick pizza tins are available at supermarkets.