Broccoli tart

The fresher a vegetable is when consumed, the sweeter and tastier it is. In Athens we are very fortunate to have a weekly farmers’ market in each neighborhood. If you take the children together to help with the selection, you will see them much more positive towards the vegetables you serve at dinner time.

Especially in winter, quiches and tarts are such a great solution for a quick lunch with a salad or as a snack for the office or school in their mini version. I prefer to make the roll the pastry thin just enough to support the nutritious filling with vegetables, cold cuts, eggs and dairy without too much starch.

For the dough

For the dough I always prefer the one here, because it bakes well without having to chill it before and after rolling or even bake it blind. This makes it really quick and easy to put together. Alternatively, ready to roll pastry will do.

For the stuffing

• 4 slices of bacon
• 1 leek in slices
• 1 broccoli in florets (large ones cut in half)
• 4 eggs
• 200 ml crème fraîche 
• 100 g Regato or Gruyère cheese
• Pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 160 C. Add broccoli to boiling water for 3 minutes to blanche and strain well. Add the slices of bacon to a cold pan, then render the fat over a medium heat. Remove it when it is cooked and saute the leek in the fat for 2 minutes. First spread the leek onto the pastry case, then top with the broccoli and bacon in pieces. Beat the eggs with the crème fraîche, the cheese and pepper and pour over the tart. Bake for 30 minutes or until golden and set. Alternatively, you can make mini tarts that will be done in about 20 minutes.