Creamy Pumpkin Tart - Tāte Paukena
A creamy leek and onion tart topped with shaved pumpkin, fresh thyme and smoked cheese. Perfect for serving as a large tray tart or as mini tarts.
Servings 1 large tray tart or 8 small tarts
Ingredients
The Savoury Pastry - Te Pōhā Mōkarakara
- 1 quantity herbed savoury pastry
- 100 g pata mātao (chilled butter)
- 1 C (250 ml) wai aromahana (lukewarm water)
- 2 tsp huka (sugar, any kind will work)
- 1 ¼ teaspoon (4 g) īhi horo (instant yeast)
- 2 tsp orekano raki (dried oregano or any dried herbs like basil, parsley or coriander).
- 2 ½ C (375 g) puehu parāoa kounga (high grade flour)
- 1 tsp tote (salt, fine)
The Tart Filling - Te Puku o te Tāte
- 1 aniana nui (large onion)
- 6 kāriki (garlic cloves)
- 1 rīki roa (leek, washed)
- 2 teaspoon huka (sugar, any kind will work)
- Tote me te pepa (salt and pepper, to taste)
- 2 tablespoon mahitete (mustard, wholegrain or half the amount of English or Dijon mustard)
- 5 g (small handful) tāima (thyme, fresh) or 2 teaspoon of dried thyme.
- 30 g pata (butter)
- 3 tablespoon puehu parāoa noa (plain flour)
- ¾ C (185 ml) kirīmi (cream)
- 100 g tīhi (cheese, I used a smoked Havarti cheese but use a cheese you love)
The Pumpkin Layer - Te Paparanga Paukena
- 400 g paukena (pumpkin, I used buttercup squash) This is the weight with skin and seeds on.
- 100 - 150 g tīhi (cheese)
- 250 g pēkana ropiropi (streaky bacon, optional)
- 5 g (small handful) tāima (thyme, fresh) or 2 teaspoon of dried thyme.
Garnishes - Ngā Kīnaki (both optional)
- 60-100 g penu amiami (pesto)
- Kiri rēmana (lemon zest of one lemon)
Instructions
Make the Savoury Pastry:
- Make one quantity of my herbed savoury pastry.
- Chill it for 30 minutes or up to 2 days, it is ready to use when you are.
Sauté the Vegetables:
- Dice the aniana (onion), kāriki (garlic) and rīki roa (leek) in to small pieces.
- Heat a large frying pan over medium heat and drizzle in a couple of tablespoons of noni (oil).
- Add the diced aniana (onion), kāriki (garlic) and rīki roa (leek) and cook for a minute or so.
- Add the huka (sugar), tote (salt), pepa (salt), mahitete (mustard) and tāima (thyme).
- Stir it through and cook for another 5 minutes until the hua whenua (vegetables) are soft.
Mix in the Butter and Flour:
- Add the pata (butter) and melt it into the onion mixture, stir it through. Then add the puehu parāoa (flour) and cook it until it has thickened.
- Pour in the kirīmi (cream) and stir it through until thick. Remove from the heat.
Add the Cheese:
- Grate 100 g of the tīhi (cheese) in to the sauce. Whakaranuhia (mix it together).
- Allow the filling to cool for 15 minutes before assembling your tart. This can also be made ahead. Store it in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days before using it.
Preheat the Oven:
- Preheat the oven to 185 °C bake setting or 175 °C fan bake setting.
- If you are making a large tart, prepare a 30 cm x 35 cm tray with baking paper. If you are making mini tarts, prepare two 25 x 30 cm trays with baking paper.
Roll out the Pastry:
- Roll out the chilled pōhā (pastry) to a 30 x 35 cm rectangle, it should be just under 1 cm thick.
- If you are making one large tart, add it to the baking paper. If you are making mini tarts, cut the dough in to 8 mini pieces and add 4 pieces on to each tray with a 3 cm gap between each one.
Fill the Pastry with the Topping:
- Create a border around of the tarts by folding over the edge of the pastry.
- For the large tart, spread all of the leek and cheese mixture on to the pastry. For the mini tarts, divide the leek and cheese mixture between the 8 pieces. Spread it on evenly.
Prepare the Pumpkin:
- Cut, core and peel the paukena (pumpkin). You should have around 300 g of paukena (pumpkin) to peel.
- Using a potato peeler, peel the potato in to rīpene (ribbons). This helps the pumpkin cook fast and looks beautiful too.
Add the Pumpkin to the Tart:
- Arrange the rīpene paukena (pumpkin ribbons) on the tart or tarts. I like to stand it up in to round shapes but this is optional.
Add the Bacon and Thyme:
- Waruwarutia te toenga o te tīhi ki runga (grate on the rest of the cheese).
- Cut the pēkana ropiropi (streaky bacon) in to small pieces and then sprinkle over top of the tart or mini tarts.
- Sprinkle over the fresh tāima (thyme) or any favourite herbs you have.
Bake the Creamy Pumpkin Tart:
- Add the trays in the bottom of the oven and bake for 35 minutes. If you are baking the mini tarts, swap the trays around half way through for an even bake.
Serve the Creamy Pumpkin Tart:
- Remove the tarts from the oven.
- Top with a drizzle of penu amiami (pesto) and finely grate over the kiri rēmana (lemon zest) for a burst of freshness.
- Serve it hot with a fresh salad and enjoy all the delicious flavours you have created!
Store the Tart:
- This tāte (tart) is definitely best served straight from the oven.Store any left overs in a sealed container and reheat them to bring them back to life.