This Cooked Books feature is a little overdue. I meant to post it in June but as is the way, time ran away with me. Anyway here it is and still very appropriate for July as it features lots of summery recipes.
I have a bit of an on / off relationship with pastry, as in sometimes I make it very well and at other times I make it quite badly. I certainly haven’t inherited my mums gifted pastry making hands. Consequently I also have an on / off relationship with tarts and pies, and varying levels of success. However I do think its hard to beat home made pastry with a delicious filling and so I persevere.
If you are looking for inspiration for your own tart or pie making, then I would suggest you look no further than Tamasin Day Lewis. Her books, this one and the wonderfully named ‘Tarts with Tops On’ have a great array or sweet and savoury recipes and range from the every day Quiche Lorraine to something a little more exotic.
Asparagus Tart
Tamasin Day-Lewis suggests this a something to do with asparagus when you have had enough of serving the stalks steamed and dripping in butter. I love english asparagus when its in season. For me its like strawberries, I only eat it in season and consequently really look forward to it each year. This was a creamy tart that worked really well as a weekend lunch or mid week supper. and a tart I would certainly make again.
Lancashire Cheese and Apple Tart
This was such great tart. It was suggested in the book that it could be sweet or savoury. With the herby pastry it was definitely savoury for me. This was great warm or cold. I served it with salad and a zingy sharp dressing to cut through the richness of the cheese in the tart.
Strawberry Tart
A classic summer desert, a pastry shell, strawberries and a vanilla custard filling. This took a little time to make and the custard was perhaps not as set as it might have been I also glazed the strawberries with warmed jam as suggested, but on reflection wish I had left them unadorned as the glaze settled in ruby red puddles around the strawberries. Despite all this it was still rather delicious.
Happy Summer baking everyone!