Ham Tomato Watercress Tart Recipes

HAM AND CHEESE PUFF TART

Steps:

• On a floured work surface, roll each sheet puff pastry to a 10-by-13-inch rectangle. Transfer to 2 parchment-lined baking sheets and refrigerate. In a small saucepan, melt butter over medium. Add flour; cook, stirring, until golden, 1 minute. Whisking constantly, add milk and simmer. Stir until thickened, 5 minutes. Season with salt, pepper, and pinch of nutmeg. Pour sauce into a bowl and let cool 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees, with rack in lower third. Arrange ham evenly on 1 pastry sheet, leaving a 3/4-inch border; top with cheese and sauce. Brush pastry border with egg; top with second pastry sheet. Fold bottom edges over top and press to seal. Brush top with egg and cut vents in tart. Bake until browned and puffed, 30 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

CHEF JOHN'S TOMATO TART

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Place 2 pieces of puff pastry onto a silicone-lined baking sheet. Press the short seam of 1 piece onto the other to form the rectangular base of the tart. Cut seams off the other 2 pieces of puff pastry and press them into the edges of the base to act as the border.
• Freeze dough until firm, about 10 minutes.
• Score border with a knife, making shallow cuts 1/4-inch apart. Press the bottom of a fork onto the seam in the middle and poke holes all over the base.
• Bake tart shell until lightly golden and partially puffed, about 10 minutes. Press down on the base using the bottom of a fork. Avoid pressing border. Let cool for 10 minutes.
• Spread mustard over the inside of the tart. Arrange tomato slices into a single layer on top and cut a few slices in half to fill in the gaps. Season with salt and pepper. Generously sprinkle herbes de Provence on top. Add Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and drizzle most of the olive oil on top.
• Bake in the preheated oven until pastry is well browned and crispy, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool to room temperature on the baking sheet or transfer to a wire rack using 2 spatulas. Drizzle remaining olive oil over the tart and sprinkle fresh oregano, parsley, and thyme on top.

HAM, TOMATO & WATERCRESS TART

Steps:

• Place the flour, polenta, butter and a pinch of salt into a food processor, then whizz until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Tip in the Parmesan and egg, then pulse through 2 tbsp cold water until the mixture forms a ball. Wrap in cling film, then chill for 30 mins.
• Dust a work surface with more polenta, then roll out the pastry to the thickness of a £1 coin and wide enough to fit a 28cm tart case. Gently ease into the case, then trim away any big bits of overhanging pastry (leave a little excess sticking up around the edges as the pastry will shrink when cooking). Chill for another 30 mins.
• Heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Place a sheet of baking parchment into the pastry case, then fill with baking beans. Bake for 15 mins. Remove the beans and parchment, then bake for another 5 mins or until the pastry is golden. Leave to cool a little. Use a serrated knife to trim away any bits of overhanging pastry, then place the pastry case on a baking sheet.
• Reduce oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Whisk the eggs and cream with a little salt. Arrange the ham, tomatoes and watercress in the case, then pour around the egg mixture. Cook for 30 mins, just until the egg has set. Can be made up to 1 day ahead and chilled.

TOMATO, HAM AND CHEESE BAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°F.
• Combine ham, mayo, and parsley.
• In a separate bowl, combine breadcrumbs, cheese and melted butter.
• In a greased 9x13-inch baking dish, place 1/3 of the tomatoes, top with 1/3 of the ham mixture, cover with 1/3 of the breadcrumb mixture.
• Repeat process, creating 2 more layers.
• Bake 45-50 minutes until golden brown and bubbling.
• Let sit 10 minutes before serving.

HAM AND WATERCRESS CREPES

Steps:

• Make crêpes:
• Blend all crêpe ingredients except butter in a blender until smooth. Chill batter 30 minutes.
• Brush a 10-inch nonstick skillet with some butter, then heat over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking. Holding skillet off heat, pour in 1/4 cup batter, immediately swirling and tilting to create a thin, even layer. (If batter sets before skillet is coated, reduce heat slightly. Next crêpe will be better.) Return skillet to heat and cook until just set and pale golden around edges, 10 to 15 seconds.
• Flip crêpe carefully and cook until underside is just cooked through and pale golden, about 20 seconds more. Transfer crêpe to a large plate. Make 4 more with remaining batter (5 more if first crêpe stuck to skillet), buttering skillet each time and stacking crêpes on plate as made.
• Make cheese filling and assemble crêpes:
• Stir together cream cheese, butter, shallot, cumin, and pepper in a small bowl until smooth.
• Put 1 crêpe on a work surface and spread with 3 tablespoons cheese filling. Fold 3 ham slices in half crosswise and put over lower half of crêpe. Scatter 1/4 cup watercress over ham. Starting at end with ham, tightly roll up crêpe, enclosing ham and watercress, to form an 8-inch log. Make 4 more logs in same manner. Cut each log crosswise into 6 pieces.

HAM AND WATERCRESS TEA SANDWICHES

Steps:

• Mix cream cheese and chives together well.
• Spread bread slices with the cream cheese mixture. Cover half the slices with watercress leaves, pressing them into the cream cheese. Top the watercress with the ham slices. Cover with the remaining bread slices.
• Cut the crusts off each sandwich and then cut them in quarters or thirds.