California Prune & Goats Cheese Tart

Prune It is a healthy eating campaign designed to educate consumers to understand the role that California Prunes can play in helping to help reduce the fat and sugar content across a wide range of recipes.  When blended into a puree, prunes offer a useful fat replacer in cooking by adding fat-like (but fat-free) characteristics that also work to enhance the flavours in both sweet and savoury dishes.

In addition, the naturally occurring sugars present in California Prunes can also be used to provide a natural replacement for some of the processed sugars that traditionally feature in sweet recipes.  And because of their high fibre content and ability to add bulk to dishes, California Prunes also have a role to play in reducing portion size without compromising on filling power or taste.

Makes: 6Prep Time: 15 minutesCook Time: 30 minutes

INGREDIENTS

  •  
  • 320g pack ready-made short crust pastry
  • 125g California Prunes, roughly chopped
  • 75g walnuts, roughly chopped
  • 3 tsp thyme leaves, freshly chopped, plus 6 stalks for garnish
  • 200g semi-soft goat's cheese, crumbled
  • 230ml low fat crème fraiche
  • 3 eggs
  • pinch sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS

  1. Pre-heat the oven to 200°C.
  2. Roll the pastry very thinly and line a 23cm round loose bottom flan tin.
  3. Trim, then line with parchment paper and baking beans and bake in the oven for about 15 minutes until the pastry edges are pale golden.
  4. Remove the beans and paper and return to the oven for a further five minutes. Put the tart case to one side.
  5. Mix together the walnuts, California Prunes, thyme leaves and goat’s cheese and season well with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
  6. Pour the mixture into  the tart case. Lightly whisk the crème fraiche and eggs together then pour carefully over the tart.
  7. Add a pinch of freshly ground black pepper and put in the oven to bake for about 15 minutes or until golden and set.
  8. Remove and leave for 5 minutes before serving.
  9. Serve topped with a thyme leaf, a large, lightly dressed salad and a generous spoonful of tangy chutney.