Caramelised Garlic and Goat's Cheese Tart

My friend Anita came around today. We went to highschool together, and were in the same photography and drama classes. She is the fourth of the Miss Matts, which has added to our Matt problem since she moved to Wellington recently.

Having come a long way from highschool photography, she's started her own photography business. When you need something (like an awesome picture for your blog's 'about' page), you enlist the help of your amazingly talented friends. So, happy to exchange her services for an awesome meal and a little tax advice, Anita came over to help me out for an afternoon. 

This was no small request, as I am not the easiest of clients. Not in overbearing, all controlling way which must plague most photographers. I am the exact opposite; camera shy, indecisive, and completely devoid of any inspiration. I mean really, what camera shy person specifically requests photos be taken of her? What was I thinking?!

But hands down to Anita. She did what she does best, and hopefully I'll have a fancy schmancy about page pic in a few weeks.

To reward her for her efforts, I made a delicious caramelised garlic tart. Delicately filled creme fraiche, and studded with soft goat's cheese feta and whole cloves of garlic, caramelised in a balsamic reduction, this was a delicious simple lunch which I served with a simple salad and freshly baked bread.

 Caramelised Garlic and Goats Cheese Tart (Serves 4-6)

350g shortcrust pastry (I used Gordon Ramsay's recipe, for which there is a fantastic video run through here)

2 bulbs of garlic, peeled

1T oil

1T balsamic vinegar

1T sugar

1/2c oil

1 sprig of rosemary, leaves picked and roughly chopped

2 eggs

2/3c creme fraiche

1/2c milk

1/2c parmesan

100g soft goat's cheese feta

Salt and pepper

Heat the oven to 180C. 

Rolling out the pastry to 2mm thick. Line a tart tin with the pastry and trim the edges. Prick the pastry all over with a fork. Place a sheet of baking paper or tinfoil over the raw pastry, and fill with baking beans or raw rice. Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until the edges are just starting to brown.

Once the edges are just browning, take the baking beans or rice out of the tin and set aside. Bake the pastry shell for another 5 minutes or until lightly golden all over.

While the crust is baking, fry the garlic in the oil over a high heat until browned. Add the balsamic and sugar, and fry for another couple of minutes. Carefully add the water to the pan and simmer for 10 minutes, or until the liquid evaporates. Add the rosemary and season with salt and pepper. Take off the heat.

Next, make the creme fraiche filling. Whisk together the eggs, creme fraiche, milk and parmesan until combined. Season generously with salt and pepper.

When the pie crust is done, pull out of the oven. Distribute the garlic evenly over the bottom of the tart, and then pour the creme fraiche mixture around, but not over the garlic cloves. Leave a few mm of pastry showing, as the egg will cause the filling to puff up slightly. Crumble the goat's cheese into chunks over the tart. 

Bake the filled tart for a further 10 - 15 minutes, or until the filling is puffed and golden. Lift the tart out of the tin, and let cool for a few minutes before serving.