This smoked salmon tart with herbed quinoa pastry, cream cheese and capers is a classic combination of flavours sure to please everyone. Serve warm from the oven with a fresh side salad for a sensational lunch, or enjoy it for a picnic on a warm sunny day.

Spring is here. Ish. Well, its trying to be here at least. We’re seem to be averaging one or two glorious spring days a week at the moment, before the cold and wet sneak in again. But one or two days a week is just enough to turn my thoughts to spring cleaning, spring eating and spring planting.

This weekend Saturday was a stunner and we found ourselves at our favourite local garden centre. I love a good visit to the garden centre – I love wandering the aisles looking for inspiration and planning my garden. Its still a bit too early to plant our summer veggie’s so this trip was just about ideas. And a stop at the cafe.  Our local garden centre has a fantastic cafe, with an extensive menu and plenty of options in the cabinets as well. They do a very nice smoked salmon quiche, which is what inspired this smoked salmon tart with herbed quinoa pastry.

Smoked salmon and cream cheese are a classic combination. And its no secret I love them! I’ve added a hit of saltiness with capers, and a little sweetness with lightly caramelised onion. Delicious. But the pastry! The pastry is heavenly. This savoury shortcrust pastry gets a wonderful nuttiness with the addition of quinoa. And its laced with thyme, parsley and oregano that bring lovely herb flavours to the tart. Plus the flecks of herbs through the pastry look so pretty.

This tart does take a little time to prepare, especially if you want to make this lovely herbed quinoa pastry. You could make this tart with store-bought pastry and caramelised onions if you wanted something a little quicker to prepare. But the homemade versions really are so worth it! If you’re craving a smoked salmon and cream cheese combo and don’t want to wait, try my super-quick smoked salmon flatbread instead.

This smoked salmon tart served warm is a lovely satisfying lunch or light dinner. Or its equally yummy on a picnic. It can even be sliced into fingers and served as an appetiser or canape. This recipe makes a tart that big enough to serve four – if you’re willing to share!

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Smoked salmon tart with herbed quinoa pastry

Course Lunch, Main Course

Keyword baking, lunch, salmon tart, smoked salmon

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes

Servings 4

Ingredients

Herbed quinoa pastry

• 120 grams butter cold
• 1 1/2 cups plain flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1 tsp dried parsley
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 cup cooked quinoa see notes below
• 8 tbsp water cold

Smoked salmon tart

• 2 brown onions
• 1 tbsp butter
• 150 grams smoked salmon
• 80 grams cream cheese
• 1 tbsp capers drained
• 1 tbsp chives finely diced
• 2 tbsp milk
• 3 eggs
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

To make the pastry:

1. Dice the butter into cubes and add to the bowl of a food processor. Add the flour and salt. Pulse until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add the herbs and quinoa and pulse a few times to combine. 

2. Add 4 tablespoons of the water and process for 30 seconds. Add more water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the mixture forms a ball.

3. Turn out onto a floured surface, and knead gently. Press into an oblong about 2 cm thick and wrap with cling film. Rest in the fridge for at least 20 minutes. 

   

To caramelise the onions:

1. Melt the butter in a medium fry-pan over a medium heat. Peel and finely slice the onions, then add to the butter. Cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes or until the onion is starting to soften. Reduce the heat and cook, stirring every few minutes, for 15-20 minutes until the onion is lightly caramelised. Be sure not to let the onion get crispy or overly-dark
   

To blind-bake the pastry shell

1. Lightly grease a tart pan. Preheat the oven to 200C bake. 

   Unwrap the pastry and roll, on a floured surface, to a sheet approx. 1/2 cm thick and big enough to fit the tart pan. Carefully lift and lay into the tart shell, pressing gently to line the bottom and sides. Neatly trim the excess.

   

2. Using a fork, poke a few holes in the base of the pastry. Line with a large piece baking paper and add baking weights (or uncooked rice) and blind bake for 12-15 minutes, until the edges are lightly golden. 

3. Remove the tart shell from the oven and carefully lift out the baking paper and baking weights. Return the shell to the oven for 5-7 minutes until the bottom is lightly golden as well. Remove from the oven.

To assemble the tart:

1. Spread the caramelised onions over the bottom of the blind-baked tart shell. Flake the salmon into chunks and distribute evenly over the onions. Take teaspoons of the cream cheese and dot over the onions as well. Scatter over the capers and finely diced chives.

2. Crack the eggs into a small bowl and add the milk. Beat with a fork or whisk until well combined. Season with salt and pepper.

3. Carefully pour the egg mixture over the tart, until about 2ml from the top of the shell. 

   

4. Bake for 20-25 minutes until the egg is set. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes before removing from the tart pan. Enjoy!

Recipe Notes

To cook the quinoa

Put 1/4 cup dried quinoa into a pot with 3/4 cup of water and a pinch of salt. Bring to the boil, covered, then turn down the heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes until the quinoa is puffed. Turn off the heat, but leave the pot on the stove. After 5 minutes, remove the lid and drain any surplus liquid from the quinoa. Rinse with cold water, and drain again.

Before using in this pastry, place 1/2 cup of the cooked quinoa into a tea towel, twist into a ball and squeeze out as much moisture as possible. 

Blind baking

It may seem fiddly and time consuming to blind bake the pastry, but if you skip this step, the bottom of the tart will be soggy and undercooked.  You can, of course, use store-bought pastry in this recipe, but I would still recommend blind-baking.

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