Hot smoked salmon and purple sprouting lattice tart

I’m very partial to a puff pastry tart – very quick to put together and results in a tasty and satisfying family supper.

This version is inspired by May’s Good Food Magazine. They suggest using poached salmon and broccoli as toppings, but I found some honey roasted hot smoked salmon at Sainsbury’s and there was purple sprouting at the farmers’ market which upped the flavour stakes.

What I particularly like about this recipe is the creme fraiche and watercress base mixture. Fresh and peppery it really cuts through the greasiness of the puff pastry and compliments the strong flavours from the salmon.

The boys love anything that involves pastry – so it’s a fab way of getting fish into their diet with them really noticing. I served it up with leftover cold new potatoes from Sunday night’s dinner.

Hot smoked salmon and purple sprouting lattice tart
Serves 4

100g purple sprouting broccoli, trimmed and washed
85g watercress, washed
4 tbsp creme fraiche (half-fat or full depending on your diet)
425g ready rolled puff pastry
1 egg, beaten
135g honey roasted salmon flakes

1. Cook the purple sprouting in boiling water for 3-4 minutes until tender. Drain and refresh under cold water, drain and put to one side.

2. Put the watercress and creme fraiche in a food processor with some seasoning and whizz up until it becomes a smooth paste.

3. Heat oven to 200’C/180’C fan. Unroll the pastry sheets. Oil a baking sheet then lay out one of the pastry sheets on top. Roll out the other pastry sheet and cut a 2cm-wide picture frame out. Brush the edges of the pastry sheet on the tray with a little beaten egg and then stick the pastry picture frame on top. Prick all over with a fork and then bake in the oven until golden – 10-15 mins.

4. Carve up the rest of the pastry into 2cm wide strips. Spread the creme fraiche/watercress paste evenly onto the cooked pastry base, scatter with the flakes of salmon and purple sprouting, then make a lattice over the the top with the pastry strips. Brush with the remaining beaten egg and bake for 20-25 mins until golden.

Check out my tomato and pesto tart if you’re into puff pastry recipes