Italian Easter Tart

Ingredients:

For the pastry
100ml olive oil
100ml water
300g plain white flour

For the filling
3 medium sized globe artichokes
250g spinach
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 garlic clove
250g radicchio
300ml water
10 capers
2 eggs beaten
75g Parmesan
salt and freshly ground pepper
beaten egg or milk to glaze

Method:

Pre heat the oven to 200¡C 400¡F Gas Mark 6.
To make the pastry first mix the oil and water in a bowl.
Gradually fold in the flour and mix to form a dough.
Knead a little cover and leave in the fridge for about 20 minutes.
Then roll out on a floured surface with a rolling pin to a thickness of 1/2cm and line a 20cm diameter and 8cm deep fluted nan tin.

With the remaining pastry cut 6 thin strips about 1cm wide and 20cm long and set aside.
To make the filling first of all clean trim and halve the artichokes and cook in slightly salted boiling water until tender.

Coarsely chop the spinach and cook in slightly salted boiling water until tender.
In a large pan heat the oil and add the chopped garlic.
Let it sweat for a minute or two then add the radicchio and the water stirring well.
Stir in the capers and leave to simmer for about 810 minutes or until the radicchio is tender.

At the end of the cooking time all the water should have evaporated.
At this stage add the cooked spinach and artichokes and mix together.
Put the filling mixture in a bowl and leave to cool.
When cool add the eggs Parmesan salt and pepper and mix thoroughly.
Fill the pastry case with this mixture.

Place the strips of pastry across the pie making a lattice pattern trimming the ends where necessary.

Then with your fingers press down the edges of the pastry to hold in the filling.
Brush the steps of pastry with some beaten egg or milk and bake in the oven for 35 minutes.

Delicious served hot or cold.

Serves 6