Serves 4-6
· 2 large parsnips (about 200g)
· Plant-based or dairy milk
· Butter, vegan butter or olive oil
· 2 leeks
· Dijon Mustard
· 1 pack of filo pastry Shortcrust of puff pastry could be used but will need par-baking first.
· Bay leaves
· Garlic
· Black pepper
· Salt
· Nutmeg (optional)
Method
1. For the parsnip puree, peel the parsnips and remove the very ends. Cut lengthways and roughly chop into 1cm pieces.
2. Add the parsnip to a small pan and just cover with milk. If using plant-milk it might split but this if fine, it will get blended.
3. Add 1 bay leaf and 1 clove of garlic. Simmer (not boiling) for around 10minutes until the parsnip is soft.
4. Remove the bay leaf and blend the parsnip & milk into a puree with the garlic. Season with salt and black pepper.
5. Meanwhile, cut the leeks into rounds and wash well. Sweat in a large saucepan with salt until they are bright green and almost all the water has gone. They will need some moisture left as they will keep cooking in the oven. Butter or oil can be added here but it’s not necessary. Season with black pepper.
6. Preheat the oven to 200°C.
7. Melt 1 tbsp of butter or oil and mix in 1tsp of Dijon mustard.
8. Line a baking tray with baking paper or a silicon mat and brush with the mustard butter.
9. Add one sheet of filo pastry and brush on more mustard butter. Keep layering up the filo sheets. There will be some pastry overlapping the edge of the baking tray, so place each sheet at a different angle so all the sides are covered.
10. Layer each filo sheet with mustard butter. It will need about 7 layers but more can be used.
11. Brush again with butter and add the parsnip puree in one layer. It can be warm but make sure it’s not too hot.
12. Add the layer of half cooked leeks.
13. Drizzle the filling with a little mustard butter mix.
14. Brush the exposed pastry edges with mustard butter and fold or roll in to form a ‘crust’ and brush again.
15. Bake the tart for 30minutes, checking after 15. If the edges are starting to brown before the base is cooked, cover with tinfoil.
16. Cook until the edges are golden brown, the filling has ‘set’ slightly, the leeks are starting to brown and the base of the tart has cooked (it might not become completely crispy though).
17. Eat warm of leave to cool. Can be eaten cold or reheated in portions in the oven. Flavourings: the parsnip and leeks are both quite sweet, so be liberal with the black pepper and mustard. Nutmeg can also be added in the pastry layers or with the vegetables. Chopped roasted chestnuts could be used as a topping with the leeks, or pre-roasted mushrooms.