Leek Tart with Lardons
Silky, buttery leeks folded into a light binder with smoky lardons and nutty Gruyère, all baked in a golden, crisp shortcrust shell. Rich, savory, and comforting, this rustic French tart is simply irresistible!
Ingredients
- 1 shortcrust pastry
- 4 leeks
- 40 gr unsalted butter
- 150 gr vegetarian lardons smoked
- 1 tbsp plain flour
- 300 ml whole milk
- 1 egg beaten
- 100 gr Gruyère cheese
- 1 pinch nutmeg
- salt and black pepper
Equipment
Instructions
1. Prepare the base
- Line a tart tin or tart rings with the shortcrust pastry. With rings, there's no need to blind bake. For a single deep tin, blind bake with baking beans at 180°C for about 15 minutes.
2. Cook the lardons
- Cook the vegetarian lardons in a separate pan until the edges colour. Set aside to cool.
3. Cook the leeks
- Slice the white and pale green of the leeks into thin half-moons and rinse well. Melt the butter in a wide pan, add the leeks and a pinch of salt, and cook gently for 15–20 minutes, until soft and silky, without colouring.
4. Make the binder
- Stir the flour through the leeks and cook for a minute. Pour in the milk a little at a time, stirring, then add the nutmeg and pepper. Keep stirring over very low heat until thickened and creamy, a couple of minutes.
5. Add the egg and lardons
- Take the pan off the heat and let it cool for a minute. Stir in the beaten egg quickly so it binds without scrambling, then fold in the cooled lardons. Taste and season lightly.
6. Fill and bake
- Spread the mixture into the pastry and level it. Scatter the grated Gruyère over the top. Bake at 180°C for 30–35 minutes, until set and golden. Rest for 10 minutes before slicing.
Notes
- Cook the leeks down fully first for sweetness and to keep the tart from being watery.
- Cook the flour for a minute before adding the milk, as you would a béchamel.
- Add the egg off the heat so it binds rather than scrambles.
- Good warm, at room temperature, or cold the next day.