Crispy shortcrust pastry, steamed fennel, eggs, milk, crème fraîche and a savory Roquefort. A great combination in this oven-baked fennel tart. Tastes like a bistrot in Paris!
It has now been 3 years since the Monsieur and I were last in Paris. Much too long, if you ask me, because Paris - mon amour - is always worth a trip. I've experienced Paris in pouring rain and freezing cold, but also in unbearable heat in mid-May. I sat by the Seine river with some cheese, baguette and wine, bought quirky and completely overpriced souvenirs at Montmartre, strolled through the popular Marais district, admired the pretty French women with their red painted lips and tried to fully absorb and breathe in the pulse of this city.
Lately, I've been imagining what it would be like to live in Paris. In which neighborhood I would live, in which boulangerie I would buy my "petit café" and my croissant in the morning, in which bistrot I would eat a piece of fennel tart for lunch, and in which brasserie I would end the day in the evening with a glass of "vin blanc". Such daydreams are usually supported by one or the other love novel set in Paris, including a hot Frenchman of course. Sorry, my dearest husband!! 🙂
Fennel tart like in Paris
Yet I have not managed to live in Paris. But I return at regular intervals at least for a long weekend in this impressive city. At the beginning of May it's finally time again! I'm looking forward to it so much that I'm already inclined to count the days backwards. Since I have not yet made it to the "Tour Eiffel", nor to the "Louvre", at least part of the program is already fixed. Otherwise, I will simply drift through the city and probably not only once be guided by my nose. Oven-warm croissants, pain au chocolate, quiche Lorraine and tarte Tatin - who can resist there?!
In this respect, it might even be quite good to visit Paris only for the weekend. If I lived in France, you could probably roll me through the streets after a month at the latest. (Secretly, I've always wondered how French women manage to stay so insanely slim with all these delicacies?!) But a weekend doesn't count and there one may also feast sometimes what the stuff holds. To prepare me mentally, culinary and generally for this trip, there is today this delicious fennel tart with Roquefort. In addition, a glass of wine and the anticipation of Paris is immediately much greater!
Fennel Tart with Roquefort
Equipment
- round quiche dish 28 cm
- large coated pan
- cutting board & knife
- sieve
Ingredients
For the shortcrust
- 125 g spelt flour type 630
- 125 g whole wheat flour
- 1 pinch of salt
- 125 g butter cut into cubes
- 1 egg yolk
- 4 tablespoon cold water
For the tart
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 large fennel bulbs
- freshly ground pepper
- ¼ teaspoon piment d'Espelette
- 1 egg
- 1 egg yolk
- 100 ml milk
- 4 tablespoon crème fraîche
- 180 g Roquefort
Instructions
- Knead the two types of flour with a good pinch of salt, the butter, the egg yolk and 4 tablespoons of cold water into a smooth dough. Form the dough into a ball, wrap in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
- Grease a quiche pan well or line with baking paper. Roll out the dough and line the pan with it, pulling up the edges. Prick several times with a fork and blind bake in a preheated oven at 180 degrees top/bottom heat (I explain how to do this here).
- Remove the pan from the oven and increase the heat to 190 degrees.
- Cut the fennel in half lengthwise and cut out the stalk in a wedge shape. Remove the fennel greens, but be sure to save them. Slice each fennel half lengthwise into thin slices. Place in a colander and rinse under cold running water. Then drain well.
- Heat the olive oil in a large coated frying pan and saute the fennel in it, covered, over mild heat for about 10 minutes. Stir occasionally and season well with pepper and ¼ tsp. piment d'Espelette.
- Mix the egg with the yolk, milk and crème fraîche and season with pepper as well.
- Spread the fennel on the pre-baked pastry base and pour the egg milk over it. Crumble Roquefort or other blue cheese and pour over the top. Bake the quiche in the middle of the preheated oven for about 30 minutes, until it has a nice golden color.
- While the quiche is in the oven, wash the fennel greens and shake dry, then chop finely. Sprinkle over the quiche before serving.
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