15 September 2010

Rachael's Pumpkin and Bacon Tart

Oooh, another goodie from Rachael of http://www.mogantosh.blogspot.com/. Rach previously shared her spinach and coconut dahl recipe here.

Rach writes:  "This recipe dates back to when my sister, my Mum and I bought a cafĂ© together in the 90’s and ran it for 2 years. It was an intense and wonderful experience. Once Sam reached up into a high fridge and upturned a 2-kilo bucket of tinned beetroot onto her head during the lunch service. We often spoke in funny accents for days at a time, and we developed some very strange rituals. We had a tiny TV in the kitchen and at 12 noon every day we would switch it on and re-enact Kerri-Anne Kennerleys jaunty entrance dance onto her Midday Show set. Then we’d turn it off and manage the lunch rush. Good times."


Too funny! Thanks Rach.

Pumpkin and Bacon Tart
 Note: These measurements will make 2 family-sized tarts. Halve everything if you’re only making one. But this recipe is fairly fiddly, and it freezes well, so I always make 2 and stick one away. I’ve frozen this tart after step 8 and also after it’s been cooked - both have turned out fine.

Also, it's forgiving - you can forget the blind-baking, and the egg-separating, and sub milk for the cream, and it will still be yummy. But for the seriously delish version, I try and take the time to make it as outlined below.


INGREDIENTS:


4 cups steamed and mashed pumpkin

2 onions

2 cloves diced garlic

1 cup diced bacon

6 eggs

½ cup cream

2 cups grated tasty cheese



METHOD:

1. Fry up onion, garlic and bacon together until your onion caramelizes and the bacon is crispy and delicious.

2. Separate eggs.

3. Combine and mix egg yolks, cheese, cream, pumpkin and a good dash of salt and pepper.

4. Beat egg whites to soft peaks with a hand mixer.

5. Line tart tins with shortcrust pasty (you can make your own if you’re awesome but I just use ready-made slices from the freezer.)

6. Blind bake at 180 degrees (This colours and par-bakes the pastry, so line tins with baking paper and weight down with beans or oven-safe weights that you can save in a jar for next time.)

7. Fold the egg whites through the pumpkin mix. These whites will keep your tart fluffy so have a gentle hand. You don’t want to knock the air out.

8. Scatter the onion and bacon mix over the base of the tin, and then fill to the top with your pumpkin mix.

9. Bake at 180 for about 25 minutes, or until golden and firm on top.


10. Serve with a nice fresh salad.

3 comments:

  1. oh yum this sounds great. Is it nice cold too eg for lunch next day or to take on a picnic?

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  2. Yes, it's excellent cold. Good picker nicker food. xx

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  3. I made it last night!
    Evidence pic here: http://sausagedogs.typepad.com/sausage-dogs/2010/09/pinwheel-and-pie.html

    It was so yum. And I made my own pastry too so now I'm awesome. Thanks Rachael!

    ReplyDelete