Gruyère Fiddlehead Tart

Then prep

• Cut the 1/2 cup cold butter into chunks. Put it back in the fridge so it stays cold.
• Thinly slice the 2 shallots.
• Wash and trim the fiddleheads until you have 1 cup.
• Grate the Gruyère until you have 1/2 cup. Grate the Parmesan until you have 1/4 cup.
• Put the 1/2 cup Gruyère, 1/4 cup Parmesan, 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp pepper in a small bowl. This is the cheese mix.
• Put the 1 cup flour, 1/4 cup whole wheat flour, 1/2 tsp salt and 1 tbsp sugar in the food processor bowl.
• Fill a small glass with cold water. Set it next to the food processor with a 1 tsp measure and the 1 tbsp vinegar.
• Set out a rolling pin, parchment, baking weights, a nonstick pan, a medium pot with a steamer basket, and a large bowl.
• Everything is ready. Wash the board and put the knife away.

Ingredients

• 1 cupflour (pastry)
• 1/4 cupwhole wheat flour (pastry)
• 1/2 tspsalt (pastry)
• 1 tbspsugar (pastry)
• 1/2 cupcold butter, cut into chunks (pastry)
• 1 tbspwhite vinegar (pastry)
• 2 tsp or morecold water (pastry)
• 2 tbspbutter (filling)
• 2shallots, thinly sliced
• 1 cupfiddleheads, washed and trimmed
• 3eggs
• 3/4 cupwhole milk
• 1/2 cupgrated Gruyère cheese
• 1/4 cupgrated Parmesan cheese
• 1 tspsalt (filling)
• 1 tsppepper

Steps

1. Pulse the dry ingredients in the food processor to mix them.
2. Add the 1/2 cup cold butter. Pulse until it's spread evenly through the flour in pea-size pieces.
3. Add the 1 tbsp vinegar. Pulse.
4. Run the processor. Add cold water through the spout 1 tsp at a time, until the dough comes together in a smooth ball. It takes 2 tsp or more.
5. Flour the counter. Roll the dough into a circle about 12 inches across and 1/4 inch thick.
6. Lay it in the greased tart pan. Press it gently into the bottom and up the sides.
7. Discard the extra dough.
8. Poke the dough all over with a fork.
9. Cover with parchment. Fill with baking weights.
10. Put it in the oven. Bake about 12 minutes, until the edges start to turn golden. Set a timer for 12 minutes.
11. While it bakes: put the medium pot of water on to boil for the fiddleheads.
12. Still while it bakes: melt the 2 tbsp butter in the nonstick pan over medium.
13. Add the shallots. Cook until translucent and fragrant. Turn off the heat and leave them in the pan.
14. When the timer goes, check the crust: the edges should be starting to turn golden. Take it out.
15. Remove the weights and parchment. Leave the crust to cool.
16. Lower the oven to 400°F.
17. Put the fiddleheads in the steamer basket over the boiling water. Steam 10 minutes, until bright green and tender. Set a timer for 10 minutes. Don't cut it short.
18. While they steam: beat the 3 eggs with the 3/4 cup milk in the large bowl.
19. Still while they steam: add the cheese mix and the cooked shallots to the eggs. Stir.
20. When the timer goes, check the fiddleheads: bright green and tender. Add them to the egg bowl. Stir.
21. Pour the filling into the tart shell.
22. Bake about 25 minutes, until set and turning golden. Set a timer for 25 minutes. While it bakes: wash the food processor, the pan and the bowls.
23. When the timer goes, check the tart: the filling is set and turning golden. Take it out.
24. Cool 10 minutes. Then serve.

Notes

Don't cut the fiddlehead steaming short. Health Canada advises steaming fiddleheads 10 to 12 minutes (or boiling 15) because undercooked ones can make you sick.