Leek and Goat Cheese Tart

Want an usual, alluring, romantic dinner for Valentines day? You've got to try this. The goat cheese becomes quite mellow after heat and tastes quite sophisticated. And it's not that exorbitant. Goodness, a good hearty dessert would cost more than this cute tart. I got the recipe from a William and Sonoma cookbook. I'll write the recipe verbatim, but also indicate the changes I made in parentheses.

Leek and Goat Cheese Tart

1 recipe tart pastry (or pie dough recipe)
2 T unsalted butter
1 lb leeks, including tender green parts, sliced thinly
salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 whole eggs plus 1 egg yolk
1 cup heavy cream or half and half
pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
1 cup shredded Gruyere, emmenthaler, or Jarlsberg cheese (oh how I await the day when I can buy such delicacies. I settled for Swiss.)
3 T chopped fresh chives (I used a bit of green onions)
1/4 lb fresh goat cheese, crumbled.

(I didn't have a DEEP dish tart pan (2 inches) with a removable bottom. So I just used my 1 inch deep tart pan 9" across tart pan plus 4 mini ones. Shown here:)

The tart before the custard mixture

Prepare the deep pastry crust as directed and let it cool. In a large, heavy frying pan, melt the butter over medium-low heat. When it foams, add the leeks, reduce the heat to low, and cook slowly until the leeks are soft and golden, about 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and set aside to cool. Position a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place a baking sheet on the rack below to catch any drips.

In a bowl, whisk together the whole eggs, egg yolk, and cream until blended. Season with nutmeg, salt and pepper.

Sprinkle half of the shredded cheese evenly over the bottom of the pastry crust. Top with the leeks, then the chives, and finally the goat cheese. Pour as much of the egg mixture as will fit, stopping within 12 in of the rim (I just did until there was a bout 1/4-1/8 of an inch). sprinkle the remaining shredded cheese evenly over the top.

Bake the tart until the top is lightly puffed and golden and the filling jiggles only slightly when the pan is gently shaken, about 25 minutes. Remove the tart from the oven and let rest for at least 10 minutes. If using a tart pan with a removable bottom, place the pan on your outstretched palm and let the ring fall away, then slide the tart onto a serving plate. Serve hot or at room temperature. Makes 4-6 servings.

David and I in our cooking attire.