Leek Tart - Julia Child's Flamiche

la ricetta in italiano qui

A lovely savory tart from Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking, one of the best basic French recipe books we all should have in our cooking library.

She is very punctilious, almost maniacal in describing and illustrating with personal drawings each step of the recipes, which tool to use, providing extremely precise charts for weights and measures conversions. And I am sure this helped numerous American women in those years to approach French cuisine with a more confident feeling, no panic and happy smiles while working.
The slow sautée-ing of the leeks in this recipe makes them very delicate and easily digestible.

Just a little clarification: real Flamiche is made with brioche type dough and is a specialty of Picardy in the north of France. But can also be made with a typical cheese, le Maroilles and it is named Flamiche au Maroilles.

Serving 6/8: 

500 g leeks, finely sliced 

120 g water 

1 tsp salt 

50 g butter 

Pour leeks in a saucepan, better if double bottomed, along with butter, water and salt: cover with lid and at medium/high flame until the liquid is almost evaporated. Then lower the heat and simmer the vegetables slowly for 20/30 minutes, until tender.

3 eggs 

250 ml fresh cream 

a pinch of nutmeg 

fresh ground pepper 

a pastry shell, partially cooked * 

50 g grated Emmental  

butter 

 

Beat eggs in a bowl, add cream, nutmeg and pepper and mix well. Then add stewed leeks and stir. Pour in the pastry shell, sprinkle with cheese and garnish with small pieces of butter. Bake at 190° for about 25-30 minutes or until nicely golden.
 

* pastry shell, for a pan of 24/26 cm. diameter 

150/200 g flour

half tsp salt 

a little pinch of sugar 

120 g cold butter into small pieces 

about 4 and a half spoons of cold water 

Julia Child describes in detail how to make the dough by hand (and it is a pleasure to read it, you have to knead as making shortcrust pastry, but I'll write a separate step-by-step post when be able to take pictures) for convenience I used a standing machine, by putting all ingredients  in the bowl and mix briefly at medium speed, then a quick knead by hand and then wrapped the dough in plastic and let rest in refrigerator at least 1 hour, preferably overnight.
The dough keeps well in the refrigerator for 3-4 days, but it could also be frozen for several weeks, always wrapped in clinging film and then locked in a bag or fridge container.
 

 

Roll out the dough on a floured work surface, if too harsh beat lightly with rolling pin before continuing. Lightly flour the side where the rolling pin works, roll out the desired size (about 5 cm larger than the cake tin), paying attention to turn the dough half a turn to get a circle as perfect as possible. Rather hateful thing, sometimes, but if it happens that the circle is asymmetric do as follows: cut the pastry in excess, dampen the pastry in deficiency, slightly overlap the cut dough to the lack one and straighten the two parts with the rolling pin. Use the dough immediately when stretched out otherwise the butter begins to melt and the dough becomes difficult to manage.
Butter the pan, wrap the dough over the rolling pin and place directly onto the mold. With your fingertips gently lay the dough on the bottom and press around the edge to fix (if necessary, slightly lift up the edges and slide down the dough in the pan). Turn over the exceeding pastry to the inside. Using a knife or a fork make decorative engravings on the pastry rim.
Using a fork (or the specific kitchen tool) prick the bottom of the dough.
Lightly grease a sheet of parchment paper and lay it on the dough, large enough to cover edges as well, fill the center of dried beans.
Bake at 200° for 6/9 minutes, remove the beans and the parchment paper, prick again the bottom of the pastry with a fork and place in the oven for  2-3 minutes more.
Then proceed as stated in the recipe above.
 

This recipe is my personal entry to WHB # 379
hosted by Cristina from La Cucina di Cristina

both for English and Italian edition.

Thanks again to Haalo who manages greatfully all events,

to Bri for Italian edition.

Thanks again to Kalyn for her successfull idea!

Who's hosting

WHB Rules