Le Tasting Room

Here is the recipe for a new tart that I made recently.  Artichokes are in season at the moment and the gentle sweetness of them marries superbly with the smoky bacon and creamy marscapone.  Serve warm for lunch with a crisp green salad and a glass of rosé from Domaine de la Noblaie in Chinon.

The inspiration for the recipe comes from Tamasin Day-Lewis's book The Art of the Tart but in this case I have mixed two of the recipes as it suited my ingredients.

Ingredients

A 9 inch 22cm shortcrust pastry case chilled

180g Jerusalem artichokes cut into 3mm coins and steamed until tender

1 or 2 packets of smoked lardons cooked until they are slightly coloured (I used 2 packets but you could get away with one - depends how greedy you are)

250g Marscapone (the recipe said 200g but I can't cope with leaving tiny amounts)

150ml of double cream

1 egg and 3 egg yolks

black pepper

Line the chilled pastry case with the slices of steamed artichoke, spread the cooked smoky lardons over the top.  Whisk up the marscapone, cream, egg and egg yolks together and give a good grinding of black pepper.  Pour over the top and bake in the oven at 200 C for about 20 mins and then turn the oven down and cook for another 10 or 15 minutes at 180 C.

It's very rich and has a wonderful soft, smooth texture, studded with smoky and sweet flavours.