Sweet Potato & Goats Cheese Tarts

These are nice - they're easy to make, they're packed with goodness and they taste yum. Eat hot from the oven or wrap and pack in your bag.
Makes 6
2 small sweet potatoes
375g sheet ready rolled puff pastry
2 tbsp sun dried tomato paste or red pesto
handful baby tomatoes, halved
100g goats cheese, crumbled
2 tbsp pumpkin seeds
drizzle of olive oil

Preheat the oven to 200C / Gas 6. Bake the sweet potatoes for 30 minutes or so until just about cooked through but not soft. Peel and slice.

Meanwhile, cut the pastry into six rectangles. Spread the the pastry with the sun dried tomato paste and top with the sliced sweet potato. Scatter with the tomatoes, cheese, pumpkin seeds and finally a drizzle of oil. Bake for 20 minutes until puffed and dark golden.

A Starter For 12

Our friend Angela had us over for a big birthday lunch day today. And it was lovely. She does the same as me - has a board of bites waiting on the table and glasses ready so you can put something in your mouth the second you get your coat off - that is how it should be done. Doesn't have to be much - I often do a salami ring with a knife or a whole cheese and a dish of chutney or a slab of paté and some gherkins. I can't stand it when you've been there half an hour before anyone gets you a drink or opens the crisps. Or if after an hour they then start peeling the potatoes! I think it should be drink, nibble and then meal on the table all within 45 minutes. The only problem with my get-it-on-the-table method is that people are often late and I end up serving burnt roasties or dried-up dauphinoise .
Anyway, when we got to Angela's she had a giant board with two delicious warm tarts on it already cut into mouth-sized pieces. Good girl!

Angela's Ham & Spinach Tarts
Serves 12 - 18 as a starter
500g plain flour
250g chilled, diced butter
chopped fresh herbs: rosemary, thyme
2 tbsp olive oil
2 large leeks, thinly sliced
2 large onions, thinly sliced
500g spinach, wilted and and drained
8 large slices of cotto or other good, thin ham
500g creme fraiche
6 eggs
150g Comté, grated
handful freshly grated Parmesan

Make up a classic shortcrust pastry with the flour, butter, herbs and a little water. Use to line two standard Swiss-Roll tins. Prick with a fork and bake blind for 8 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large frying pan and soften the leeks and onions.

Spoon the leeks and onions into the tins, spreading them out to make a thin layer. Cover with the spinach and then the ham.

Beat together the creme fraiche, eggs and both cheeses. Spoon over the ham and bake for 20 minutes until set and golden brown.

Warm Treacle Tart

Nothing cheers us up more on a miserable, wet weekend than a classic hot pud. So I made this treacle tart and served it up after lunch with Ambrosia custard. Magic.

Serves 12

225g plain flour
150g cold butter, diced
1 egg yolk
1 teaspoon golden caster sugar
2 tablespoons cold water
for the filling
800g golden syrup
150g fresh white breadcrumbs
finely grated rind of 2 lemons
50g porridge oats
2 eggs, beaten

Preheat the oven to 180C. Place the flour and butter in a food processor and pulse until it forms fine crumbs. Add the egg yolk, sugar and water and pulse again to form a firm dough.

Roll out the dough and use to line a deep, loose-bottomed 24 cm fluted tart tin. Prick the base and chill for 30 minutes.

To make the filling, warm the golden syrup in a pan until runny but not too hot. Stir in the breadcrumbs, lemon rind, oats and beaten eggs. Pour into the lined tin and bake for 30 – 40 minutes until golden and just set, don’t worry if it’s a little soft. Allow to cool for a few minutes then carefully remove from the tin, slice and serve with custard.