Goats Cheese Tart with Pinot Eschallots & Walnuts

Goats Cheese Tart with Pinot Eschallots & Walnuts is a great recipe for the pastry novice using wholemeal (whole-wheat) olive oil pastry.  Extra-virgin olive oil and water are simply mixed through flour; no rubbing in of butter is required and no resting before rolling out, either. In fact, I found it best to simply press the dough into an oval shape and flute the edges ‘rustically’. I cooked this at the De Bortoli Vineyard in the Yarra Valley using local cheeses from Yarra Valley Dairy.

Servings: 6
Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 90 minutes

Ingredients:
1 head garlic
1/3 cup (80ml) extra virgin olive oil
15 medium (500g) eschallots, peeled and halved
5 sprigs thyme
1 cup (250ml) pinot noir
200g mature goats cheese (such as Yarra Valley Dairy White Savourine), sliced
½ cup (60g) black olives, pitted
½ cup (50g) walnut halves
120g goats curd (such as Yarra Valley Dairy Gentle Goat), to serve
1/4 cup (55g) caperberries, to serve

Pie crust
2 cups (320g) wholemeal plain flour
1 teaspoon salt
½ cup (125ml) cold water
1/3 cup (80ml) extra virgin olive oil

1. Break the garlic head open and peel the cloves.  Place 2 tablespoons oil in a medium deep-sided frying pan with garlic and eschallots, placed cut side down.  Cook over medium heat for 5 minutes until the eschallots are just starting to colour.  Add thyme and pinot noir, reduce heat and simmer for 40 minutes or until the eschallots are tender and the pinot has been absorbed.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Set aside to cool.
2. Pre-heat oven to 200°C (180°C fan-forced) and line a large baking tray with paper.
3. For pie crust, combine flour and salt in a large bowl.  Make a well in the centre and add cold water and olive oil.  Using one hand, quickly mix the ingredients together just until they form a ball.  Place the ball on the prepared tray and, using your fingers, push the dough into an oval shape measuring 30cm x 23cm.  It should be 0.5cm thick.  Using your thumb and pointer finger press the pastry edges to form an edge of around 1cm.  If desired, flute this edge using your fingers.
4. Top the pie crust with cooled eschallots, garlic cloves and thyme.  Dot with cheese, olives and walnuts and sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil.  Bake for 45 minutes or until the pastry is golden and cooked through.
5. Serve warm topped with teaspoons of goats curd and caperberries.

This recipe comes from the TV series (and now cookbook), Lyndey Milan’s Taste of Australia.