This is the perfect recipe to use up the end bits of the honey-baked ham – see First take your ham in Lucky Dip. Trim off any fat from the ham, measure your lean meat and cut into small dice. It doesn’t matter if you have a bit less or a bit more, it will still make a delicious tart, especially if you’ve cooked a smoked gammon. Incidentally, you won’t need all the pastry for this recipe, so freeze the trimmings for future use.
I love eating this for lunch, accompanied by a simple green salad, but you could serve it with soup instead, or pack it for a picnic. You can bake it the previous day and refrigerate once it reaches room temperature, or cut into slices, wrap in clingfilm and freeze. The defrosting tart will act like an ice pack in the picnic box.
Serves 6 slices
225g/8oz shortcrust pastry (see under Sundries in Cook now recipe index)
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 large or 3 medium onions, finely diced
115g/4oz lean, diced cooked ham
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 medium egg
1 medium egg yolk
200ml/7fl oz soured cream
30g/1oz Comté cheese, finely grated
1 Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface and line a 23cm/9in shallow quiche dish. Prick the base of the pastry, line with greaseproof paper or foil and fill with baking beans. Chill for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to fan180˚C/gas 5.
2 Bake the pastry case for 15 minutes, then remove the paper or foil and beans and return to the oven for a further 5 minutes or until the pastry no longer looks sweaty.
3 Meanwhile, place a non-stick frying pan over a medium heat. Add the oil and once hot, gently fry the onion for 20 minutes or until soft and golden. Mix in the diced ham and season to taste. Spoon into the pastry case.
4 Beat together the egg, egg yolk and soured cream. Season to taste and pour into the pastry case, mixing it with a fork into the onion. Sprinkle with the cheese and bake for 25 minutes or until golden and set. Serve warm or cold.
