Sorrel and Herb Tarts with Melted Goat’s Cheese

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Wild sorrel is plentiful now. So, if you haven’t got any of this herb in the garden, look out for the long thin leaves – they look like mini dock leaves and you’ll find them sheltered under long grass. The lively and lemony flavour goes well with the spinach and goat’s cheese. This tart makes a wonderful summer’s lunch with salad leaves from the garden or as a starter for dinner.

Makes 6 individual tarts or 1 large tart.

For the pastry:

• 225g (8oz) plain flour
  
• 150g (5oz) butter
  
• 1 egg

Filling:

• 250g (9oz) young spinach leaves
  
• 50g (2oz) sorrel
  
• A small bunch each of parsley, basil, chives and tarragon
  
• 2 eggs
  
• 300ml (½ pint) single cream
  
• Salt and pepper, garlic and nutmeg
  
• 3 ‘Capricorn’ goat’s cheese or 300g (10oz) of your local goat’s cheese

Preheat the oven to 170C (325F, Gas mark 3). For the pastry, rub the butter into the flour and bind with the egg, then allow it to rest for half an hour. Roll out the pastry and line six individual tart tins or 1 large tin. Wash the spinach, sorrel and herbs if necessary and dry them well. Shred the spinach and sorrel. Heat a pan with a little oil and stir fry the spinach and sorrel until it collapses. Remove from the pan and spread out on a plate to allow it to cool quickly. Chop the herbs, crush a sliver of garlic and place in a bowl with the eggs and cream. Add the spinach and sorrel, the seasoning and the nutmeg. Spoon into the tarts. Cook in the oven until the egg mixture is just set, about 15-20 minutes. They do not need to be fully cooked. Allow to cool.

To serve, take the tarts out of the tins and place on an oven tray. Increase the oven heat to 200C (400F, Gas mark 6). Place a thick slice of the goat’s cheese on the top of each tart and put them back in the oven for about 10 minutes. Serve on a bed of dressed salad leaves.