Garlic Tart
This is a truly garlicky Garlic Tart! Garlic haters, step away now as this is a celebration of garlicky delights. I came up with this recipe because I wanted a tart where garlic was truly the star of the show. It includes caramelised garlic cloves and a savoury garlic-flavoured custard. Although it does include cheese, its flavour is a background note. Toasted pine-nuts are included on top to add a bit of crunch texture.
You can eat this tart at room temperature or hot from the oven. Have it for a simple supper or lunch. It is also great for picnics, buffets and lunch-boxes. You can make it ahead of time which makes it very convenient when you are entertaining.
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- Cranberry Gin
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- Leek and Potato Soup with Fresh Chives
- Blackberry Gin
What you need to know about this recipe
- I generally make my own pastry. I was a late learner when it came to pastry and for years used ready-made versions. However, a few years ago I decided I had to get to grips with pastry-making and discovered how easy it is. So, if you have the time to make your own pastry, it is really worth doing as the taste will be much better than anything you can buy in the shops. However, if you don’t have the time or inclination, you can make this recipe using ready-made pastry and it will still taste pretty good.
- Whether you are making your own pastry or using ready-made, it is really important to bake the empty pastry case in the oven for 15 minutes before you add the filling (step 3). This sets the pastry and means that it is properly cooked so it will be crisp and delicious rather than soft and soggy.
- It is really garlicky! It uses three bulbs – yes, bulbs, not cloves – of garlic. This sounds like a lot of garlic. Actually, it is a lot of garlic! However, the cloves are blanched and then caramelised before being cooked in the tart. You end up with a rich, mellow garlic flavour which is not overpowering.
Other quiche and tart recipes
Savoury tarts and quiches are a fantastic, cook-ahead simple supper or lunch. They are easy to make and are great either hot or at room temperature. They can also be easily divided into portions if you are feeding a large number of people. Easily transportable, they also make a good addition to lunch-boxes or basis for a picnic. Some of my favourites are listed below.
- Asparagus Quiche is a simple quiche-style savoury tart that highlights the taste of fresh asparagus. I also have a very simple Asparagus and Herb Cheese Tart which uses ready-made puff pastry.
- Two kinds of onion tart – Caramelised Onion Tart which is based on sweet, slow-cooked onions and another version, Onion Tart with Wild Garlic, which has the addition of fresh herbs. I also have an easy Shallot Tart with Thyme and Anchovy which uses ready-made puff pastry.
- I also have two very different carrot-based tarts. Carrot and Coriander Tart combines these two classic flavours in a simple quiche-style savoury tart. Carrot Tart uses ready-made puff pastry and combines large pieces of carrot with orange and soft cheese.
- Beetroot Tart is deliciously sweet and earthy. My Tomato Tart is also sweet but has is lighter and fresher.
- Spinach Tart combines leaf green spinach with feta and crunchy pine-nuts.
- Butternut Squash Tart with Chilli and Sage also has a sweetness to it but this is off-set by the addition of a little hot chilli.
- Feta Quiche with Roasted Peppers is a fantastic comination of rich, smoky roasted peppers with salty feta cheese.
- I also have a couple of fish-based recipes. My Crab and Prawn Tart has Asian-inspired flavours of coriander, lime and chilli. My Smoked Salmon Tart with Prawns is easy to make and is perfect for a celebratory meal or party.
- In addition to larger quiches and tarts, I also have a recipe for individual Herb Tartlets which are great as canapes or snacks.
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Garlic Tart recipe
PrintGarlic Tart
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 35
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: Serves 8
- Category: Tart
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: English
Description
This Garlic Tart contains caramelised garlic cloves set in a savoury garlic-flavoured custard in a crisp pasty case and is topped with toasted pinenuts.
Ingredients
For the pastry:
- 275 g (10 oz) plain flour
- 125 g (4 oz) fat (I use a mix of half butter and half Trex as I think this makes the lightest pastry)
- Salt and pepper
- A little water
For the filling:
- 3 bulbs garlic (Note: bulbs not cloves – you need a lot of garlic for this recipe!)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Salt and pepper
- 1 tablespoon balasamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 3 eggs
- 75 g (3 oz) strong cheddar or another hard cheese
- 200 ml (7 fl oz) cream
- 1 tablespoon of pine nuts
Instructions
- Set your oven to 180 C, 350 F or Gas Mark 4.
- Make the pastry. Put the flour in a bowl. Add the fat and combine – either by “rubbing in” by hand or processing – until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Season with salt and pepper. Add a little cold water (2-3 tbsp) and shape the mixture into a dough.
- Roll out your pastry and use it to line your quiche or flan dish. Bake for 20 minutes in the oven to allow the pastry to “set”. This will stop the filling making it soggy!
- Separate your garlic bulbs into individual cloves. You do not need to peel them at this stage. Take two cloves of garlic from one of your bulbs and set aside (See step 7).
- Place the remaining cloves in a pan of boiling water. Boil for 3 mins. Remove the cloves and allow to cool for a few minutes. Remove the skins.
- Heat the olive oil in a small frying pan. Add the skinned garlic cloves. Season with salt and pepper and fry for 5 minutes until soft and golden. Then add the balsamic vinegar and brown sugar and cook gently for a further 2 minutes until brown and sticky.
- Crack the eggs into a mixing bowl, add the cream, and beat until combined. Finely grate the cheddar cheese and add to the mixture. Peel and crush the two reserved garlic cloves and add to the mixture.
- Now place the caramelised garlic cloves in your pastry case. Pour the egg mixture over them.
- Place your quiche or flan dish in the oven and cook for 25 minutes. At the end of this time, scatter the pinenuts on the top of the tart and cook for a further 5 minutes.
- The tart can be eaten hot, room temperature or cold.