Ingredients

Method

• 400 g shortcrust pastry
• 4 free-range eggs
• 100 ml double cream
• 100 ml mascarpone
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 4 spring onions, chopped
• butter, for frying
• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
• 3 bunches watercress, roughly chopped, plus extra, for serving
• 1 T tarragon, roughly chopped
• 1 T chives, roughly chopped

Method

Ingredients

Preheat the oven to 200ºC.
Line a 5cm x 17cm loose-bottomed sandwich tin with the pastry (or use a similar tart ring placed on buttered greaseproof paper on a baking sheet).
Prick the base then chill. Cut out a disc of greaseproof paper, about 1cm shorter than the diameter of the tin, then grease on one side.
Beat the eggs with the cream, mascarpone and some seasoning then set aside.
Fry the spring onion in a dab of butter until softened, but not coloured, then stir in the garlic.
Fold in the chopped watercress and allow to cook until slightly wilted. Remove from the heat then fold in the chopped herbs.
Pile this mixture into the pastry-lined tin then pour in the egg mixture and cover with the greased disc of paper (buttered side down).
Place on a baking sheet and bake on the middle shelf of the oven for 40 minutes, or until the egg has just set.
Remove from the oven, discard the buttered paper and allow to cool a little before removing from the tin.
Top with freshly snipped watercress and serve.

TASTE’s take:
You can buy ready-made shortcrust pastry, or make your own using this recipe