Bega Valley brunch cheese tart
<p>"The Bega Valley on the New South Wales far south coast has been known for its dairy products for over a century. To give homage to these products — including Tilba milk, cream and parmesan, and Bega butter and tasty cheese — I have put together a recipe for a cheese tart that combines these products with the organic tomatoes and herbs grown in the Bega Valley region. Eat this great tart hot or cold for brunch. It also freezes well." — <strong><em>Kelli Brett</em></strong></p>
<p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Serves</span>:</strong> 6</p>
<p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Ingredients:</span></strong></p>
<p><em>Basic hot milk pastry</em></p>
<ul>
<li>1/2 cup full-cream milk</li>
<li>60 g butter, cubed</li>
<li>1 cup self-raising flour</li>
</ul>
<p><em>Tomato topping</em></p>
<ul>
<li>olive oil, to drizzle</li>
<li>500 g roma tomatoes, cut in half lengthways</li>
<li>2 handfuls of coarsely chopped herbs e.g. basil, oregano, marjoram (what you have in the garden is always best), plus 1/2 bunch basil, extra</li>
<li>25 g parmesan cheese, coarsely grated, plus extra, to sprinkle</li>
</ul>
<p><em>Cheese filling</em></p>
<ul>
<li>150 ml thick clotted cream or</li>
<li>125 g mascarpone cheese</li>
<li>2 egg yolks, lightly whisked</li>
<li>50 g parmesan cheese, grated</li>
<li>250 g shredded tasty cheese</li>
</ul>
<p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Method:</span></strong></p>
<ol>
<li>To make the pastry, microwave the milk and butter in a heatproof plastic bowl on high for 1 minute, or until the butter has melted. Add the flour and mix until the dough forms a ball. Knead the dough on a floured bench top. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.</li>
<li>Preheat the oven to 160°C. Lightly grease a 24 cm tart tin.</li>
<li>Roll out the pastry between two sheets of baking paper until it is large enough to fit the size of your tin. Line the pastry with baking paper and weigh down with baking weights or uncooked rice, and blind bake in the oven for 15 minutes.</li>
<li>Remove the baking weights and return to the oven to bake for a further 10 minutes, or until golden. Set aside.</li>
<li>Increase the oven temperature to 180°C. Line a baking tray with baking paper.</li>
<li>Place the tomatoes on the baking tray. Drizzle with oil and scatter over the chopped herbs. Top with the parmesan, and season with sea salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Cook in the oven for 10 minutes, or until brown on top. Set aside to cool, and reduce the oven to 170°C.</li>
<li>To make the cheese filling, combine the cream or mascarpone cheese, egg yolk, parmesan and tasty cheese in a medium bowl.</li>
<li>Line the pastry shell with a layer of fresh basil leaves. Spoon the cheese mixture on top and arrange the tomato halves on top of the cheese mixture. Sprinkle with a little extra grated parmesan and cook for 35 minutes, or until the cheese mixture is firm when tested with a skewer.</li>
<li>Allow to cool slightly before cutting.</li>
</ol>
<p><img width="141" height="170" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/21810/australia-cooks-cover-image_141x170.jpg" alt="Australia Cooks - Cover Image (1)" style="float: right;"/>Cheese is the perfect component to any meal! What’s your favourite way to cook using cheese? Tell us in the comments below.</p>
<p><em>Written by Wendy Goodisson.Recipe courtesy of Australia Cooks edited by Kelli Brett, published by <a href="https://shop.abc.net.au/products/australia-cooks-hbk" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>ABC Books</strong></span></a>.</em></p>
<p><strong>Related links:</strong></p>
<p><a href="/lifestyle/food-wine/2016/04/pea-basil-and-eggplant-tart/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>Pea, basil and eggplant tart</strong></em></span></a></p>
<p><a href="/lifestyle/food-wine/2016/03/frittata-mushrooms-kikorangi/"><strong><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Frittata with grilled field mushrooms and kikorangi</span></em></strong></a></p>
<p><a href="/lifestyle/food-wine/2016/01/mushroom-tart/"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em>Mushroom tart</em></span></strong></a></p>
