Leek Tart with Bacon and Thyme
Ingredients
Scale
Cheese Pie Crust:
- 1 stick unsalted butter, softened
- 3 ounces Neufchatel cheese, softened
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- Bacon-Leek Filling:
- 4 slabs bacon, chopped into half-inch rectangles
- 3 1/2 cups leeks, tender inner leaves only (go for the “spring green” parts, not the Christmas-tree green leaves!)
- 6 eggs
- 1/3 cup Crema Mexicana
- 2/3 cup milk
- Leaves from 4 sprigs of thyme
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Freshly ground black pepper and kosher salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400˚ F. Beat butter and cheese until they are well blended. Gradually add flour and salt. Roll dough into 1 or 2 balls and refrigerate, wrapped in plastic wrap, for 30 minutes. (This recipe might make enough dough to save a bit for later… better to have too much than a thin, fragile, difficult crust.) Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface, transfer to a pie plate, prick the dough a few times with a fork, cover it in foil and sprinkle a layer of dried beans on top to weigh the foil down. Bake for 10 minutes and then remove the foil and beans.
FILLING: Cook bacon until it is cooked but not yet crisp. Add leeks and olive oil, stirring leeks to coat. (For a healthier option, drain the bacon fat and use another 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil.) Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 15 minutes until nice and tender. Add salt and pepper and remove from stove. - Beat the eggs lightly in a medium bowl, and then add milk and cream. Whisk, and then add thyme.
- Set the pie plate on a baking sheet. Add leek-bacon mixture to pie crust and pour the egg mixture on top.
- Bake the tart (on top of the baking sheet) for 30 minutes or until the filling has puffed up and is golden brown on top.
Find it online: https://wolffsapplehouse.com/leek-picnic-recipes/