Ingredients
Serves 4–6
For the hazelnut pastry
150g (5½oz) plain flour
40g (1½oz) hazelnuts, finely ground
Salt and pepper
75g (2½oz) cold butter
40ml (1½fl oz) cold water
For the filling
200g (7oz) sea spinach
50g (2oz) fresh soft cheese or ricotta
Large pinch freshly grated nutmeg
2 eggs, beaten
80g (2¾oz) chanterelles, cleaned and shredded
Butter
Method
Serve these tarts with salad as a starter or add a potato dish to make a main course.
To make the pastry, put the flour, hazelnuts and 1/4 teaspoon of salt into a food processor and carefully pulse in the butter until you get a fine crumb texture. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and gently work in the water. Form the pastry into a ball then roll it out to about 2mm (1/16in) thick. Cut out 4–6 circles large enough to line the base and sides of 8cm (3¼in) tart tins. Press the pastry into the tins then chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour or more. Preheat the oven to 180°c/350°f/Gas Mark 4. Prick the pastry all over with a fork and blind bake for 8–10 minutes until crisp.
Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil, add the sea spinach and cook for 2 minutes. Cool under cold running water, squeeze out all the water and chop finely. Mix the spinach with the cheese, nutmeg and eggs. Divide the spinach mixture between the pastry cases and bake in the oven for 10-12 minutes until almost set.
Meanwhile, fry the chanterelles in butter over a moderate heat for 5-7 minutes until tender. Season and press onto the tarts, then return them to the oven for a few minutes more to warm through and set.
Aga method
2-, 3- and 4-oven Aga
Place the spinach mixture into the chilled raw pastry cases and place the tart tins on the floor of the roasting oven for 12-15 minutes or until the filling is just set. Fry the chanterelles on the simmering plate. Press on to the tarts and return to the grid shelf set on the floor of the roasting oven to complete cooking.
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