Four cheese tarts with basil dressing

Babiche Martens

If you’re bit of a sucker for cheese like me, these tarts are a mighty fine way to indulge on a special picnic. The sweet basil dressing adds the finishing touch. You could eat this with your fingers or serve on a plate with a few salad greens and cutlery.

For the tarts

150 g	Pastry, savoury (Main)
4	Eggs
½ cup	Milk, or use cream
1	Spring onion, chopped finely
½ cup	Grated parmesan cheese (Main)
80 g	Blue cheese, crumbled (Main)
½ cup	Cheddar cheese, grated
½ cup	Cottage cheese
½ cup	Basil leaves
¼ cup	Chopped parsley

For the dressing

1	Garlic clove
¼ tsp	Salt and freshly ground black pepper
½	Lemons, zest and juice only
1 Tbsp	Honey
1 cup	Basil, roughly chopped
¼ cup	Olive oil

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 180C.
2. Roll the pastry on a lightly floured bench and line the base of 4 x 10cm quiche tins. Place a piece of baking paper in each with rice or baking beans and bake blind for 15 minutes. Remove the paper and beans.
3. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs and milk lightly. Add the spring onions, salt, pepper, parmesan, blue cheese, cheddar, cottage cheese and parsley. Pour into the tart tins and bake for 20 minutes until golden and set. Remove and cool.
4. To make the dressing, crush the garlic, salt, pepper and lemon zest in a mortar and pestle. Add the lemon juice, honey and basil. Grind again and drizzle in the oil.
5. Serve topped with a spoonful of dressing.

More special picnic recipes from Angela

• Raw fish in fresh white bread
• Black bean chocolate cake