TARTE AUX POMMES DE TERRE "BERRICHONNE"

INGREDIENTS

(If you are time poor, you can always cheat a little with this recipe and use puff pastry but I have included the steps if you would like to make your own).

To make the pastry:

• 2 cups of plain flour (and an extra hand-full for dusting)
• half a teaspoon of salt
• 250grams of butter (chopped into small cubes)
• half a cup of iced water

For the filling::

• 3-4 medium sized potatoes (peeled)
• 1 and a quarter cups of crème fraîche (or sour cream as a substitute)
• 1 tablespoon of salt
• half a teaspoon of black pepper
• A pinch of grated nutmeg
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 teaspoons of fresh thyme chopped finely

FOR THE EGG WASH:

• 1 egg yolk
• 1 tablespoon cream or crème fraîche

PREPARATION

MAKE THE PASTRY:

1. Sift the flour and mix in a bowl with the salt. Add half the butter and mix well, until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add remaining butter and the water and mix until dough comes together. Remove dough, divide into two equal pieces and dust with flour. Quickly form each piece into a ball, then press down to make two 1-inch-thick disks. Wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour. (This can be made a day in advance or frozen for up to 2 weeks.)

MAKE THE FILLING:

1. Slice potatoes as thinly as possible. Put potato slices in a large bowl and add crème fraîche, salt, pepper, nutmeg, garlic and thyme. Mix well with hands, making sure all slices are coated and seasoning is well distributed. Set aside.

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1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees (or 160 fan forced). On a well-floured surface, roll out each pastry disk to 10 cm in diameter. Grease with butter or line with baking paper a 23cm fluted French tart pan (with removable bottom) with one sheet of pastry, pressing in at the sides and leaving a 1-inch overlap hanging.
2. Add the potatoes to the tart pan in even layers, making sure to scrape in all remaining crème fraîche. Lay the second pastry sheet on top. With a paring knife, trim excess dough and crimp the edges all around to seal. Make a few slits in the dough to allow steam to escape. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and set tart on it. Stir egg yolk and cream together and paint the top of the tart generously.
3. Bake for 10 minutes at 190 degrees, then reduce heat to 170 degrees and bake for 1 hour more, until top is golden and potatoes are tender when probed with a skewer or knife. Cool slightly, then set tart pan over a small, sturdy bowl, so that the bottom of the tart pan is elevated and the fluted ring comes off. Carefully transfer tart to a plate. Serve small slices, hot or at room temperature. May be cooled completely and reheated if desired.

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