Equipment
Ingredients
Shortcrust Pastry
- 200 g plain flour
- 100 g unsalted butter, cold and cubed
- 2 g salt
- 30 ml cold water
Lentil and Spinach Filling
- 100 g puy lentils, dry, rinsed
- 300 ml vegetable stock
- 15 ml olive oil
- 2 shallots, finely chopped
- 2 garlic, minced
- 4 fresh thyme, sprigs, leaves picked
- 150 g fresh spinach, washed and dried
Cream Cheese Custard
- 200 g cream cheese, room temperature
- 3 eggs, room temperature
- 100 ml whole milk
- 10 g dijon mustard
- 3 g salt
- 1 g black pepper, freshly cracked
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 376 kcal
- Protein
- 11 g
- Carbohydrates
- 32 g
- Fat
- 23 g
- Fiber
- 3 g
- Sugar
- 3 g
- Sodium
- 499 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 13 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 7 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 2 g
- Cholesterol
- 123 mg
- Potassium
- 339 mg
- Calcium
- 87 mg
- Iron
- 2.2 mg
- Magnesium
- 35 mg
- Phosphorus
- 155 mg
- Zinc
- 1.2 mg
- Vitamin A
- 287 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 7 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.5 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 1.4 mg
- Vitamin K
- 94 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.2 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.3 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.18 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.25 mg
- Niacin
- 0.9 mg
- Folate
- 117 mcg
- Water
- 72 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
In a large mixing bowl, rub the cold cubed butter into the plain flour and salt using your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add the cold water and gently bring the mixture together into a dough without overworking it.
Wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap or baking paper and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to relax the gluten and firm up the butter.
Roll the chilled dough out on a lightly floured surface to about 3mm thick. Carefully transfer it to a 23cm tart tin, pressing it gently into the corners. Prick the base lightly with a fork and chill the lined tin for another 15 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Line the chilled pastry case with baking paper, fill entirely with baking weights, and blind bake for 15 minutes. Remove the paper and weights, then bake for a further 5 minutes until the base is pale golden and feels dry to the touch.
While the pastry chills and bakes, place the rinsed Puy lentils in a saucepan with the vegetable stock. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes until the lentils are tender but still hold their shape. Drain any excess liquid completely.
Heat the olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the chopped shallots, minced garlic, and thyme leaves, sauteing for 3 to 4 minutes until softened and fragrant. Add the fresh spinach in handfuls, cooking just until wilted. Remove from heat and drain any excess liquid.
In a clean mixing bowl, whisk the room temperature cream cheese until perfectly smooth. Gradually whisk in the eggs, whole milk, Dijon mustard, salt, and black pepper until completely combined into a liquid custard.
Spread the cooked, drained lentils and the wilted spinach mixture evenly across the base of the blind-baked tart shell.
Carefully pour the cream cheese custard over the lentil and spinach filling, ensuring it seeps down into the gaps and fills the tart shell evenly to the brim.
Bake the assembled tart at 180°C (350°F) for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the custard filling is fully set and features a light golden crust on top. The center should have a very slight jiggle when nudged.
Remove the tart from the oven and allow it to rest in the tin for 15 minutes before carefully removing it and slicing. This resting period allows the custard to finish setting.
Chef's Notes
- Puy lentils are absolutely essential here. Unlike red or brown lentils, they hold their structural integrity beautifully after simmering, providing a satisfying textural contrast to the soft custard.
- When bringing your pastry dough together, the less you handle it, the flakier it will be. Stop mixing the moment it can be pressed together into a shaggy clump.
- If your cream cheese is straight from the fridge, you can soften it by placing the sealed foil package in a bowl of warm water for 10 minutes.
- Do not skip the Dijon mustard in the custard base. Its sharp, acidic profile cuts through the richness of the cream cheese and bridges the earthy flavors of the lentils and spinach.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store in an airtight container.
Freezer: 1 month — Wrap tightly in foil. The texture of the cream cheese custard may change slightly upon thawing.
Reheating: Reheat in a 160C oven for 15 minutes to recrisp the pastry. Do not microwave if you want to retain a crisp crust.
Troubleshooting
Soggy bottom on the pastry crust
Cause: Insufficient blind baking or excess moisture from the spinach and lentils
Fix: Bake the finished tart directly on a preheated pizza stone or low oven rack for the final 10 minutes to push more heat into the base
Prevention: Ensure the pastry is fully blind baked until dry, and aggressively drain and squeeze the spinach and lentils before assembly
Lumps in the custard
Cause: Cream cheese was too cold when whisked with the liquid ingredients
Fix: Pass the custard mixture through a fine mesh sieve before pouring it into the tart shell
Prevention: Always use fully room temperature cream cheese and whisk it to a smooth paste before adding eggs or milk
Cultural Context
Savory tarts, known as tartes salees, are a cornerstone of French cafe culture and regional home cooking, offering a highly adaptable vessel for seasonal ingredients. The use of Puy lentils, historically grown in the volcanic soils of the Auvergne region in central France, grounds this dish in traditional provincial cuisine. Paired with a rich dairy custard and the signature tang of Dijon mustard, it perfectly reflects the French culinary philosophy of elevating humble, earthy ingredients through meticulous technique.
