Banksia Summer Tart

Banksia is a beautifully flavoured cheese with rich, nutty notes. Inspired by the French tomme de Savoie, it’s perfect for a cheese board. It also melts beautifully, making it an ideal choice for a classic winter raclette, gooey and delicious over hot potatoes and ham. Here, we use its rich, savoury notes to add depth to a delicious summer tart.

Serves 6

Ingredients

Brisée Pastry:

• 150g plain flour

• A good pinch of table salt

• 110g cold Long Paddock butter, cut into small cubes

• 40ml iced water

• 1 teaspoon lemon juice

• 1 egg yolk, beaten

Filling:

• 300g jar Long Paddock crème fraîche

• 200g Long Paddock Banksia cheese, finely grated

• Zest of half a lemon, finely grated

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

• Salt

• Pepper

• 2 punnets cherry tomatoes, sliced in half

• Soft herbs (chervil, parsley, tarragon), picked

• Extra virgin olive oil, to drizzle

Method:

1. Place the flour, salt, and butter in a cold glass bowl. Using your fingertips, rub the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add the iced water and lemon juice, mixing until it forms a rough dough. Roll into a ball, wrap, and refrigerate. (Alternatively, you can use a food processor or stand mixer, but be careful not to overmix the dough.)

2. Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan). Grease a 24cm fluted tart tin.

3. While the pastry is chilling, prepare the filling by blending the crème fraîche with 150g of the grated Banksia cheese in a bowl. Add the lemon zest and extra virgin olive oil, mixing until well combined. Season to taste. Cover and refrigerate.

4. Roll the pastry into a 30cm circle on a floured surface. Gently press it into the tart tin. Trim any excess pastry and prick the base with a fork. Cover with baking paper and fill with dried beans or similar for blind baking. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove the beans and paper, brush the tart with egg yolk, and bake for another 5–10 minutes or until golden. Remove from the oven and allow to cool. Once cooled, remove the tart from the tin and transfer it to a rack to cool completely.

5. Spoon the crème fraîche mixture evenly over the base. Top the tart with cherry tomatoes and herbs. Sprinkle with sea salt flakes and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil. Garnish with the remaining finely grated Banksia cheese. Serve with a fresh garden salad.