I know that I have done other tarts using Dodoni feta, but feta has this ability of lifting all the other flavours around it and making a tart with ready-rolled bought puff pastry is a lazy way of creating spectacular looking dishes. The smokiness of the haddock, the earthiness of spinach, the richness of eggs and cream and umami of feta make a heavenly combination in this easy but deeply satisfying dish.

Just served with some dressed green leaves, they look spectacular on a garden table for a light and healthy lunch with a chilled glass of wine.

Ingredients

  • 1 packet of ready rolled puff pastry, 320g
  • 2 fillets of smoked haddock, 220-250g
  • 5 eggs
  • 100g baby spinach leaves, washed and chopped
  • 150g Dodoni feta
  • 150ml double cream
  • 3-4 baby tomatoes, cut in half
  • 1 shallot, finely chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • A few chives, finely chopped
  • A pinch of chilli flakes
  • 1 tbp sesame seeds
  • 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • Milk for poaching, approx. 300ml
  • 2 bay leaves
  • A few pepper corns

Process

  1. Preheat the oven to 1900C.
  2. Place the pastry on a baking tin lined with baking paper.
    Use a knife to score gently an inner rectangle, creating a 1.5cm wide border all round and use a fork to prick all over the inner rectangle. Beat the yolk of one of the eggs (reserving its white in another bowl) with a tbsp of cold water and use it to brush the border of the tart. Sprinkle the border with the sesame seeds and bake the pastry for 20 minutes.
  3. While the pastry is baking, bring a shallow small pan to a medium heat. Add the haddock fillets and cover with milk. Add the bay leaves and pepper corns and bring the milk to the boil. As soon as that happens, turn the heat off and leave the haddock in the milk for 10 minutes to continue cooking. Take the haddock out of the milk, leave to cool a little, remove its skin and flake with your hands. Keep to the side.
  4. Break the four eggs in the bowl containing the egg white.
  5. In a frying pan, heat the oil and add the chopped shallot. Cook for 2-3 minutes until translucent and add the garlic. Cook for a further minute and add the chopped spinach. When the spinach is wilted, add the eggs and stir gently to scramble the eggs around the spinach. Next, add the cream, haddock, some chopped chives and crumble two thirds of the feta. Season with some salt (remember the feta is already salty) and freshly ground black pepper and cook for a further minute or so, until the mix is creamy and not runny but don’t overcook as this mix will cook further in the oven.
  6. When the tart base comes out of the oven, spread the haddock/egg/feta mix over it within the border. Sprinkle with the remaining feta and bake for 10 more minutes. Before serving, sprinkle with the remaining chives.