Parmesan Pastry Tartlets

(Makes 12 muffin-sized tartlets)

Ingredients:                                                 Time Taken to Prepare:   10 minutes

250g (8oz) plain flour
80g (3oz) grated Parmesan
125g (4 oz) unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
Pinch of salt
3 tablespoons cold water


Method:

1. Pre-heat the oven to approx 200C,  or 180C fan oven, or gas mark 6.
2. Pop the flour and salt into a Magimix or similar food processor and blitz for a few seconds to sift.
3. Add the butter and Parmesan to the food processor and mix until resembling breadcrumbs.
4. Sprinkle the water over the mixture and then process again until the pastry starts to come together.
5. Remove and knead slightly to form a smooth ball.
6. You can either freeze at this stage or put into the fridge for 20 mins or so to chill before cooking. (If freezing now, defrost until a chilled temperature and then re-join recipe at stage 7.)
7. While chilling grease a 12-hole muffin tin.
8. Remove from fridge an roll the pastry to approx 2mm thick.  Use a cookie cutter large enough to fill the muffin case to cut out individual rounds, then just gently push into the muffin holes.
9. Put a bit of grease proof paper into each tartlet and then fill with baking beans.
10. Cook blind in the oven for approx 7 minutes.
11. Remove paper and beans and pop back into the oven until golden brown.  
12. Allow to cool in the tin for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
13. Either use now or freeze for later use, defrosting before filling!

Hints, Tips and Alternatives:

• Fill with a spoonful of onion marmalade, topped with sliced baby plum tomatoes and your favourite cheese then pop into the oven to melt.  Serve with salad leaves and drizzle with dressing.
• If you don't like Parmesan, just leave it out of the recipe for a plain pastry case.
• The same recipe makes one fluted quiche case, measuring approx 26cm in diameter.
• We will also be doing more quiche recipes, the fillings of which could go in any of these cases.