Name: Artichoke, bacon & cheese tart
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: French
Ingredients: 500g pack shortcrust pastry (thawed if frozen), or make your own with 200g/8oz plain flour and 100g/4oz butter; 2 eggs plus 1 egg yolk, beaten; 1 tbsp sunflower oil; 4 slices back bacon; 284ml carton double cream; 2 garlic cloves finely chopped; small bunch flat leaf parsley chopped; 290g jar artichoke in oil, drained, rinsed and the large pieces halved; 100g mature cheddar grated

For the pastry

500g pack shortcrust pastry
(thawed if frozen), or make your own with 200g/8oz plain flour and 100g/4oz butter

For the filling

2 eggs
plus 1 egg yolk, beaten
1 tbsp sunflower oil
4 slices back bacon
284ml carton double cream
2 garlic cloves
finely chopped
small bunch flat leaf parsley
chopped
290g jar artichoke
in oil, drained, rinsed and the large pieces halved
100g mature cheddar
grated

Method

step 1
Preheat the oven to fan 170C/conventional 190C/gas 5. If making your own pastry, make as usual. Roll out the pastry so it’s large enough to line a deep 23cm flan tin. Let the pastry sides sit slightly above the rim of the tin. Prick the pastry base with a fork.
step 2
Bake blind for 15 minutes, then remove from the oven and lift out the paper and beans. Brush the base of the pastry with a little of the beaten egg (from the filling) and put back in the oven for another 5 minutes.
step 3
While the pastry is baking, heat the oil in a frying pan, then cook the bacon until turning slightly golden. Snip or tear the bacon into large pieces. Beat the cream into the beaten eggs with the garlic and parsley, then season really well.
step 4
Casually arrange the artichoke pieces and bacon in the tart case, then sprinkle with the cheese. Pour over the egg mixture to cover, then season with black pepper. Lower the oven to fan 160C/conventional 180C/gas 4. Bake the tart for 20-25 minutes, or until golden and softly set. Remove and leave to cool slightly before serving.