Bread tart with greens, pine nuts and raisins recipe

bread tart
Blitz your leftover bread with an egg and Parmesan to make the dough for the tart case - Facundo Bustamante

I’ve made this tart case with white, sourdough and sliced seedy bread – both stale and fresh. The type and freshness will dictate how much water you need, so add it gradually.

Timings

Prep time: 25 minutes, plus cooling

Cook time: 45 minutes

Serves

4-6

Ingredients

For the tart case

  • olive oil, for greasing

  • 150g leftover bread, including crusts, torn

  • 1 large egg

  • 40g Parmesan, grated

  • ½ tsp dried mixed herbs

  • plain flour, for dusting

For the filling

  • 115g cream cheese

  • 40g Parmesan, grated

  • 1 tbsp double cream, or more as needed

  • finely grated zest of ½ lemon

For the greens

  • 2 tbsp pine nuts

  • 1 tbsp olive oil

  • 2 tbsp butter, plus extra if needed

  • 200g cooked and uncooked greens (finely sliced kale, spring onions chopped into 3cm pieces, sliced chard, baby spinach

  • leaves, torn lettuce, sliced Brussels sprouts or cabbage)

  • 30g raisins or sultanas

  • a large handful of fresh herbs (parsley, basil, tarragon)

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas mark 4. Place a baking sheet inside. Brush a 23cm loose-bottomed tart tin generously with oil.

  2. For the tart case, put the pieces of bread, egg, Parmesan and herbs in a food processor. Blitz to a smoothish sticky dough, gradually adding 1-2 tbsp water (more if needed).

  3. Scoop the dough on to a well-floured work surface. Briefly knead with lightly floured hands. Shape into a disc. Re-flour your hands and place the disc in the centre of the oiled tart tin. Working from the centre, press the dough outwards to fill the base evenly. Press into the edges to make a slight ridge; it needn’t go all the way up the sides.

  4. Bake on the preheated sheet for 25 minutes, or until the edges have browned a little and the middle is dry – watch that it doesn’t burn. Transfer, still in the tin, to a wire rack to cool.

  5. Meanwhile, beat together all the filling ingredients with some salt and pepper. Add more cream if needed 
    to reach a spreadable consistency. Set aside.

  6. For the greens, toast the nuts until golden in a large dry frying pan. Scoop into a bowl. Return the pan to the heat, and add the oil and butter. When melted, add tougher uncooked greens like kale and spring onions. Fry for 3-4 minutes until almost tender, adding a little butter if the pan goes dry.

  7. Now add softer greens and the raisins or sultanas. Fry over a medium heat until all the greens are soft. Stir in the nuts, cooked greens and herbs, and season. Set aside for 10 minutes to cool.

  8. Spoon the filling into the case and spread evenly. Top with the greens. Slide the tart back on to the baking sheet in the oven for 20 minutes, or until the vegetables are slightly charred. Loosen the edges of the case with 
    a knife before releasing from the tin. Serve warm.

Recipe from Second Helpings by Sue Quinn (Quadrille, £18.99)

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