Ricotta & Goat Cheese Tart

Recently while in Paris, I bought a new tart pan at Mora.  Mora, is a baker's paradise stocking every possible baking utensil and other great kitchen items.  The store was opened in 1814 which gives you a good idea of how well they do what they do.  I wandered around the store for nearly an hour looking through all the shelves of endless goodies.  Along with the tart pan, I also bought a new pastry bag and a biscuit cutter.  One thing I wish I had bought, a pastry blender.  Alas, maybe on my next trip.

 

I actually found a recipe while I was still in France that I knew I would make in my new pan as soon as I got home - from David Lebovitz's website - an Herbed Ricotta Tart.  I have always been a savory over sweet type of person and so the idea of a savory tart which could be served for any meal of the day sounded like a great fit.  I also bought a great Bordeaux to enjoy alongside the tart.

The recipe called for either ricotta or goat cheese as the main ingredient, but I thought there was no good reason to choose, so I used a mixture of both.  I also left out the chorizo, but I will probably include that the next time around.  I also used leeks instead of spring onions since leeks were available at the farmer's market and in season.  On David's website, he lists two different options for the shell - I used the French Tart Dough recipe.  The dough was really easy to put together and I loved the idea of melting and almost browning the butter in the oven.

Just crumbs left at the end...

Herbed Ricotta Tart

SOURCE

Adapted from Local Flavors: Cooking & Eating from America's Farmers' Markets (Broadway) by Deborah Madison

I mentioned a few variations above, but in the future, I'm going to try this with feta cheese in place of the ricotta or goat cheese, black olives, and some cooked, (very) well-drained, chopped spinach for a Greek-style version.

UPDATE: Judging from the responses in the comments, most are in agreement that these are simply a variety of spring onions that I used. So I've noted that in the list of ingredients. You can use green garlic, scallions, leeks, or ramps in their place, if you can't find spring onions where you live.

half-pound (250g) spring onions (See headnote)
1 tablespoon butter
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme, plus more for sprinkling over the finished tart
8 ounces (285g) fresh goat cheese or fresh ricotta
1 large egg
1/2 cup (125ml) crème fraîche or heavy cream
1/2 cup (125ml) whole milk
2 ounces (55g) spicy Spanish-style chorizo sausage, finely diced
salt and freshly-ground pepper

one pre-baked 9-inch (22cm) tart shell (see Note)

1. Slice the spring onions into 1/2-inch (2cm) pieces. Melt the butter in a skillet and cook over medium heat, seasoning with a bit of salt and pepper, until tender and cooked through. When you remove it from the heat, stir in the fresh thyme and let cool to room temperature.

2. Preheat the oven to 400F (200C)

3. In a large bowl, crumble the goat cheese or ricotta, then mix in the egg, crème fraîche or cream, milk, chorizo, and a bit more salt and pepper along with the onions.

(If you wish to use any other chopped, fresh herbs, add them now as well.)

4. Scrape the filling into the pre-baked tart shell and baking until just set and slightly-browned on top, 20-30 minutes. (As you can see, I used a rectangular mold. If using a different-sized tart pan, the baking time may vary. In which case, bake until it just feels set in the center.)

5. Let the tart cool briefly, then serve either warm or at room temperature. Sprinkle fresh thyme leaves over the top of the tart before serving.

Note: You could use the recipe for French Tart Dough, omitting the sugar, or Clotilde's Olive Oil Crust.