Courgette, goat’s cheese and mint tart in a cheesy pastry crust recipe

By Debbie Major

Serves 6-8
Takes 40 minutes to make, 1 hour to cook, plus chilling and cooling
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A tasty tart recipe (is there any other kind?) bursting with cheesy aromas and summer flavours.

Courgette, goat’s cheese and mint tart in a cheesy pastry crust

Ingredients

500g courgettes
½ tsp salt
50g butter
25g plain flour
175ml full-cream milk
150g soft, rindless goat’s cheese, such as chevrissime, crumbled
50g hard goat’s cheese, such as soignon tomme de chèvre,
finely grated
2 tbsp chopped fresh mint
3 large free-range eggs, separated
142ml pot double cream

For the pastry

225g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
½ tsp English mustard powder
50g butter, chilled
50g lard or white vegetable shortening, chilled
75g Cheddar, finely grated

Method

1. For the pastry, sift the flour, mustard and a pinch of salt into a food processor. Add the butter and lard and whizz into fine crumbs. Add the cheese and 1-2 tbsp cold water and pulse until it forms a ball. Turn out and knead briefly until smooth.
2. Lightly butter a 26cm loose-bottomed tart tin that’s 4cm deep. Thinly roll the pastry out on a floured surface and use to line the tin. Prick the base all over with a fork and chill for 20 minutes. Preheat the oven to 200°C/fan180°C/gas 6. Line the pastry case with baking paper and baking beans or rice, bake for 20 minutes, then remove the paper and beans. Bake for 5 minutes more until golden, then remove and lower the temperature to 180°C/fan160°C/gas 4.
3. For the filling, coarsely grate the courgettes, toss them with the salt and drain in a colander for 10 minutes. Squeeze out the excess liquid and dry on kitchen paper. Melt half the butter in a pan, add the flour and cook for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and gradually stir in the milk. Return to the heat and bring to the boil, stirring continuously, until thick and smooth.
4. Meanwhile, in a large frying pan, fry the courgettes in the remaining butter for 2 minutes until tender. Stir into the sauce with both cheeses and the mint. Season to taste. Cool slightly and mix in the egg yolks and cream.
5. In a clean bowl, whisk the egg whites to soft peaks, then fold into the courgette mixture with a large metal spoon. Pour into the pastry case and bake for 35-40 minutes until golden brown. Cool in the tin for 5 minutes, and serve warm.