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Flamiche aux poireaux
Leek and cream tart
Flamiche picarde, the leek and cream tart of Picardy
FrenchFlamiche means 'cake' in old Flemish, and in Picardy, around Amiens and Abbeville, it is a tart of leeks melted slowly in butter and set in eggs and cream, baked in a crisp pastry case and sometimes covered with a pastry lid. The leeks from the market gardens (hortillonnages) of Amiens are famous, and flamiche is served warm as a starter or as a supper with green salad, especially from autumn to spring. The leeks must be cooked until soft and sweet, never browned. Chef's tip: squeeze the cooked leeks in a sieve before adding the custard; any water left in them stops the filling from setting and soaks the pastry.
- Total time
- 90 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
For the pastry
- 8 oz plain flour
- 3 ⅞ oz cold unsalted butterdiced
- ½ tsp salt
- 4 tbsp cold water
For the filling
- 1 ¾ lb leekswhite and pale green parts, thinly sliced and washed
- 1 ⅜ oz unsalted butter
- 3 eggs
- ¾ cup crème fraîche
- 1 pinch ground nutmeg
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Rub 3 ⅞ oz cold unsalted butter into 8 oz plain flour and ½ tsp salt until it looks like breadcrumbs, then mix in 4 tbsp cold water to a firm dough. Wrap and chill for 30 minutes.
35 minStep 2: Melt 1 ⅜ oz unsalted butter in a wide pan, add 1 ¾ lb leeks and a splash of water, cover and cook over a low heat for 20 minutes, stirring now and then, until very soft, sweet and collapsed but not coloured. Tip into a sieve to drain and cool.
20 minStep 3: Heat the oven to 400°F (350°F fan) with a tray inside. Roll the pastry 3 mm thick and line a 24 cm tart tin. Prick the base, line with baking paper and baking beans and bake for 15 minutes; remove the paper and beans and bake 5 minutes more, until the base looks dry.
20 minStep 4: Whisk 3 eggs, ¾ cup crème fraîche, 1 pinch ground nutmeg, ½ tsp salt and ½ tsp black pepper. Press the leeks firmly in the sieve to squeeze out their liquid, then stir them into the custard. Common mistake: skipping the squeeze; the tart turns watery and the base goes soggy.
Step 5: Turn the oven down to 350°F (325°F fan). Pour the filling into the pastry case and bake for 30–35 minutes, until set with only a slight wobble in the centre and golden in patches.
35 minStep 6: Rest for 10 minutes before slicing. Serve warm with a green salad.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 440 kcal
- Protein
- 9 g
- Carbs
- 33 g
- Fat
- 30 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does flamiche aux poireaux take?
- About 90 minutes in total: 35 minutes to prepare and 55 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- What can I use instead of plain flour?
- Self-raising flour, same amount (then leave out the baking powder).
- What can I use instead of cold unsalted butter?
- The same weight of ghee or coconut oil (for frying and most baking).
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