1 Lemon – for the juice only
6 oz Skinned monkfish tail; diced
3 oz Spinach
12 sm Cherry tomatoes
12 Pitted black olives; halved
3 oz Salt cured pilchard fillets
2 tb Basil; chopped
2 Eggs
6 fl Double cream
2 tb Parmesan; grated
Salt and freshly ground
-black pepper
FOR THE PASTRY
9 oz Plain flour
1 oz Parmesan; grated
2 oz Butter; chilled and diced
1 tb Fresh sage; chopped
1 1/2 tb Very cold water
1 Egg white
1 For the Pastry: Sift the flour and salt into a food processor and add the
butter and parmesan. Process until the mixture looks like fine breadcrumbs.
2 Add the water until the mixture forms a ball. Transfer to a lightly
floured surface and knead until smooth.
3 Divide the pastry into four pieces and use to line four loose-bottomed
tartlet tins 4 1/2″ wide and 1 1/2″ deep. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
4 Preheat oven to 200c/400f/Gas 6. Line the pastry cases with greaseproof
paper and baking beans. Bake for 10 minutes.
5 Remove the paper and beans, and bake the cases for eight minutes. Brush
the base of each case with some unbeaten egg white and return to the oven
for a minute. Remove and leave to cool.
6 Pour the lemon juice onto the monkfish and season with salt and pepper.
Wilt the spinach by putting in a pan with 1 tsp cold water and placing over
a medium heat, drain and roughly chop.
7 Cover the cherry tomatoes with boiling water, leave for a few seconds,
drain and peel off the skins.
8 Arrange the ingredients in the tartlet cases. Mix the eggs, double cream,
parmesan and a little seasoning. Pour the mixture over the filling and bake
in the oven for 20 minutes, until set in the centre and lightly browned.
Lift the tartlets out of the tins and serve warm with a little dressed
salad.
Yields
6 servings