Tarte Au Roquefort

Not exactly rocket science, this is an easy tart, and makes a piece of Roquefort go a long way. In Montjaux I make it with bought puff pastry – in France it comes already rolled out and cut into a circle – but in Martinborough I use my own short pastry. Each have their charms. Serves 4 as an entrée, or more as a snack with drinks.

Ingredients

• puff pastry, bought or home-made, to line the pie tin
• 1 cup walnuts
• 100g Roquefort
• 2 eggs
• 200g crème fraîche (or sour cream)
• ¼ tsp ground black pepper

Method

Line a 20-cm pie tin with the puff pastry, and leave it in the fridge for half an hour to relax.

Heat the oven to 180°C and toast the walnuts lightly.

Put the Roquefort in a bowl and mash it slightly with a fork – not entirely, as you want some lumps.

Beat the eggs lightly with the crème fraîche and the pepper, then add this mixture to the Roquefort. Pour the mixture into the puff pastry case. Break the walnuts up slightly, and scatter them over the top.

Bake for about 20 minutes, or until the filling is just slightly wobbly. Serve warm.