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Leek and cheese flamiches

Australian Gourmet Traveller recipe for Leek and cheese flamiches

By Emma Knowles
  • 30 mins preparation
  • 1 hr 10 mins cooking plus proving, cooling
  • Serves 10
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Leek and cheese flamiches
As the name implies, these brioche-based tarts are of Flemish origin, but they have been baked in France since the 14th century. We've made two flamiches here with two simple fillings.

Ingredients

  • 450 gm bread flour (3 cups)
  • 5 gm dried yeast
  • 2 tsp caster sugar
  • 6 eggs, at room temperature
  • 170 gm softened butter
  • For greasing: oil
  • To serve: green salad (optional)
Leek filling
  • 30 gm butter, coarsely chopped
  • 2 leeks, white and pale green parts only, thinly sliced
  • 40 ml dry white wine
  • 1 egg
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 150 gm crème fraîche
  • 50 gm coarsely grated Gruyère
  • 2 tbsp thyme
Cheese filling
  • 1 egg
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 125 ml pouring cream (½ cup)
  • ½ tsp finely grated nutmeg
  • 180 gm washed-rind cheese, such as Münster or Pont l’Évêque, rind discarded, coarsely chopped
  • ¼ cup coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley

Method

Main
  • 1
    Combine flour, yeast, sugar and 2 tsp fine salt in an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook, add eggs, knead until smooth (3-4 minutes). Gradually add butter, kneading continuously until glossy (4-5 minutes). Transfer to a lightly oiled bowl, stand in a warm place until doubled in size (2-2½ hours).
  • 2
    Meanwhile, for leek filling, melt butter in a large saucepan over low heat, add leek and stir to coat. Add wine, season to taste, cover and cook until very tender (15-20 minutes), remove lid and cook until liquid evaporates (4-5 minutes), then cool completely. Whisk egg, yolk and crème fraîche in a bowl, stir in Gruyère, leek and thyme, season to taste.
  • 3
    Meanwhile, for cheese filling, whisk egg, yolk, cream and nutmeg in a bowl to combine, season to taste, stir in cheese and parsley.
  • 4
    Preheat oven to 190C. Knock down dough, divide in half, then roll out each piece to a 35cm-diameter round and line two buttered 25cm-diameter pie tins, letting dough overhang sides. Spread leek filling in one tin and cheese filling in the other, fold in edges, pleating as you go, then bake until golden and cooked through (40-45 minutes). Serve hot with a simple vinaigrette-dressed green salad.

Notes

Drink Suggestion: Complex wheat beer. Drink suggestion by Max Allen