Recipe of the week: Theo Randall’s Swiss chard and smoked scamorza tart

This is a very impressive tart to look at and eat, but is super simple to make as the pastry is shop-bought and just needs to be placed flat onto a baking sheet before being topped, says Theo Randall.

I have been making these for years, and they are great to leave out during the day so everyone can help themselves. They also work well cut into squares as a snack or canapé.

Serves eight people

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Ingredients

• 1kg Swiss chard
• 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 red onions, finely sliced
• 300g sheet of ready rolled puff pastry
• 3 eggs
• 1 tbsp whole milk
• 100g crème fraîche
• 1 tsp thyme leaves, finely chopped
• 12 pitted taggiasche olives, roughly chopped
• 250g smoked scamorza, sliced
• 1 garlic clove, finely sliced
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

• Cut the stems off the chard and cut into 1cm slices. Slice the leaves into 2cm pieces. Bring a saucepan of salted water to a boil and add the stems. Cook for 2 minutes, then add the leaves and cook for 2 minutes. Drain in a colander and press down with a wooden spoon to extract any excess water. Set aside.
• Heat the oil in a large non-stick frying pan over a medium heat. Add the onions, reduce the heat and cook for 10 minutes, until soft but not coloured. Add the chard and cook for about 5 minutes, until there is no excess water. Take the pan off the heat and leave to cool a little. Season.
• Preheat the oven to 200°C. Place the sheet of pastry on to a baking sheet. Crack 1 egg into a cup, add the milk and beat together lightly with a fork. Using a pastry brush, paint the top of the pastry so that it is coated in the egg mixture. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes, until risen. Then, transfer to a wire cooling rack on the baking sheet to cool for 15 minutes. Leave the oven on.
• Beat the remaining eggs in a bowl and add the crème fraîche, chard, onions and thyme. Mix everything together well and check the seasoning.
• When the pastry has cooled, gently push down the puffed surface so it is flat again, then spoon on the mixture, leaving a 1cm gap around the edge. Scatter the olives evenly over the filling, then top with the sliced garlic and scamorza.
• Bake the tart for 20 minutes, until the scamorza has melted and has a little colour on top. Leave the tart to cool for a few minutes, then slice and serve.

Taken from The Italian Pantry by Theo Randall, published by Quadrille at £26. To buy from The Week Bookshop for £20.99, call 020-3176 3835 or visit theweekbookshop.co.uk.