Ham & Brie Free-Form Tarts With Pickled Cherries. A festive leftover, ensuring you enjoy every last morsel!
Using leftover ham
Serves 4
2 cups plain flour
⅓ cup chervil sprigs (or flat-leaf parsley leaves), chopped
125g butter, diced and chilled
½ cup sour cream
2 tsp grainy mustard
200g sliced ham, chopped
200g brie or camembert, roughly chopped
1 egg, lightly whisked
Pickled Cherries
1½ cups red wine vinegar
1½ cups caster sugar
2 tsp salt
3 cinnamon sticks
1 orange, shredded rind
2 tsp white peppercorns
8 whole cloves
750g pitted cherries
Put flour, chervil and butter in a food processor and pulse until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
Add sour cream and mustard. Pulse until dough just forms a ball.
Turn ball out onto a lightly floured board and knead until smooth. Divide dough into 4 even portions.
Flatten each portion into a round disc and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 30 minutes or until firm.
Preheat oven to 200°C. Line a large baking tray with baking paper. Roll each dough portion into a 19cm round. Put ham and brie in the centre of each pastry, leaving a 3cm border. Fold border over filling towards centre of tart. Brush tarts with egg and transfer to baking tray. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden and pastry is cooked through.
Meanwhile, to make pickled cherries, put vinegar, sugar, salt, cinnamon sticks, orange rind, peppercorns and cloves in a saucepan over medium heat.
Stir until sugar has dissolved and mixture comes to the boil. Add cherries and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and cool. Spoon into a sterilised jar. (These can be refrigerated for up to 3 weeks).
Serve tarts hot from the oven with pickled cherries.
