Nettle Tart

Only pick the nettle tops - i.e. the top four leaves - and make sure the nettles are young and NOT from a field where a farmer has been spraying chemicals, or from a roadside where they will be polluted with petrol and diesel fumes.

Do be very careful when you pick them! Make sure you wear thick gloves. But once they are cooked, all the sting disappears and you are left with a delicious, nutritious and totally free source of food.

For the tart:

• 8oz of wholemeal shortcut pastry, preferably made with goats butter.
• 2 large handfuls of nettle tops.
• 2oz of grated goats cheese.
• 2 free range eggs.
• Half a pint of goats milk and goats cream mixed in equal quantities.
• 2 chopped shallots
• Salt and pepper

Method:

Roll out the pastry and use to line an 8" flan ring. put into the fridge to rest for half an hour.

Meanwhile, blanch the nettle tops in boiling salted water for about four minutes. Drain and immediately refresh with cold water. Drain again and set aside. When cold, chop the nettle tops into strips.

Remove the pastry lined flan ring from the fridge, prick the bottom of the pastry base all over, line with greaseproof paper and baking beans and return to the oven for 15 minutes. Remove the paper and baking beans and return to the oven for five to ten minutes until the pastry is golden. Take the pastry case out of the oven and reduce the heat to medium.

Meanwhile, chop the shallots and sauté gently in two teaspoons of virgin olive oil until soft.

Grate the goats cheese.

Beat the eggs with the cram and milk and add salt and pepper to taste.

Put the shredded nettles in the bottom of the pastry case with the cooked shallot. Top with the cheese and pour over the egg and cream mixture.

Return to the oven and cook for thirty to fourty minutes until golden and puffy.

Rest for ten minutes before serving.