“This is a delicious way of doing something a bit different with a good, ripe brie. I adore Clava brie—it’s made just outside Inverness using organic milk and has a wonderful flavour. I always buy my cheese way before I need it as to ensure it’s at its ripe best. Great served here in a tart.” 

Makes 4 small tarts

INGREDIENTS

250g plain flour

125g unsalted butter, diced small

Cold water to bind the pastry

12 slices Clava brie

2 large onions, peeled and thinly sliced

A good handful of purple sprouting broccoli, woody stalks removed

Good salt and pepper

50ml cold-pressed rapeseed oil

A few sprigs of thyme

METHOD

To make the pastry for the tart cases, add the plain flour and the diced butter to a mixing bowl and rub together until they resemble breadcrumbs. Then add a pinch of salt and trickle in enough cold water to make a good pastry dough. Wrap the dough in cling film and place in the fridge for an hour or so to rest.

Pre-heat the oven to 180°C. Lightly grease and flour 4 small tart tins. Remove the chilled dough from fridge and flour the work surface. Cut the pastry into four evenly-sized pieces and roll each piece into a ball. Then roll each ball into 2mm-thick circles and place into the cases, trimming off the edges of any excess pastry. Blind bake with greaseproof paper (or 3 layers of cling film) and baking beans for 40 to 50 minutes - until the tarts are crisp and golden brown.

To caramelise the onions, heat 25ml of oil in a pot then add the sliced onions. Season with salt and pepper then put the lid on and cook on a medium heat for about an hour, stirring occasionally. The onions should be golden and caramelised. Remove from the heat and stir in a few sprigs of thyme.

Divide the onions between the 4 tart shells, then lay 3 slices of Clava brie on top of each tart and trickle with a little oil. Top with some thyme leaves and season again. Gently warm the tarts under the grill or in the oven.

Next, bring a pot of water to the boil and blanch the purple sprouting broccoli for 3 to 4 minutes until tender. Remove from the water and season.

Divide the broccoli between 4 warmed plates and place the tarts on top. Trickle any remaining oil all over the tarts and broccoli. Serve immediately.