Cornish Yarg and Leek Tart
A creamy, savoury modern Cornish tart packed with tender butter-braised leeks and distinctively mellow, nettle-wrapped Cornish Yarg cheese in a crisp pastry crust.
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 45 min
- Total
- 70 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 540 kcal
Equipment
- •23cm loose-bottomed fluted tart tin
- •Rolling pin
- •Baking beans
- •Frying pan
- •Mixing bowl
- •Whisk
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 540 kcal
- fat
- 38 g
- carbs
- 36 g
- fibre
- 3 g
- protein
- 16 g
- calories
- 540 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Rub diced cold butter into plain flour with fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
- 2
Add cold water gradually and stir until a smooth dough forms, then wrap and chill for 20 minutes.
- 3
Heat fan oven to 180°C and grease a 23cm loose-bottomed tart tin lightly.
- 4
Roll out pastry on a floured worktop to 3mm thickness and line the prepared tart tin carefully.
- 5
Prick pastry base with a fork, line with greaseproof paper and baking beans, then blind bake for 15 minutes.
- 6
Remove paper and beans, then bake the pastry base for 5 more minutes until pale golden and dry.
- 7
Melt 15g butter in a frying pan over low hob heat and cook sliced leeks until soft and sweet.
- 8
Whisk eggs, double cream, milk, nutmeg, sea salt, and black pepper together in a mixing bowl until combined.
- 9
Scatter softened leeks across the baked pastry base and top evenly with crumbled Cornish Yarg cheese.
- 10
Pour egg and cream custard gently over the cheese and leeks right up to pastry rim.
- 11
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until custard is set with a golden surface and gentle wobble.
- 12
Rest tart on a wire rack for 10 minutes before removing from tin and slicing neatly.
Chef's tips
Blind baking (baking the pastry shell with weights before filling) ensures a crisp, non-soggy base. Keep the edible nettle rind on the Cornish Yarg for attractive green flecks and a delicate earthy flavour.
Ingredient substitutions
- Cornish Yarg cheese → Caerphilly or crumbly mature farmhouse Cheddar
- double cream → single cream mixed with one extra egg yolk
Storage
Store chilled in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Reheating
Reheat slices on a baking tray in a preheated oven at 160°C for 10 to 12 minutes.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Overworking pastry dough, which results in a tough and chewy rather than short crust.
- •Leaving wet leeks straight from the pan, making the tart custard watery.
- •Overbaking the tart until the custard splits and loses its velvety texture.
Serving suggestions
Cooked Cornish Yarg and Leek Tart?
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