Manx Tart with Black Pudding, Onion and Bacon

Serves: to serve 4 - 6

Prep Time: 1 Hour 30 Minutes

Cook Time: 1 Hour 15 Minutes

Ready In: 2 hrs 45 mins

FOR THE PASTRY

8 oz - plain flour (all purpose flour)

pinch - salt

2 oz - butter or margarine

2 oz - lard

1 - 2 tablespoons - water

1 - egg

FOR THE FILLING

2 tablespoons - duck or goose fat

2 large - onions

1lb 5oz - black pudding

20 rashers (slices) - lean back bacon

12 oz - crumbly Manx cheese

½ pint - double cream (heavy cream)

¼ pint - milk

4 - whole eggs

2 - egg yolks

1 teaspoon - chopped thyme

- salt and pepper

First, peel and finely slice the onions. Melt the duck (or goose) fat in a large frying pan (skillet) and sweat the onions (cook over a low heat with the pan covered) for at least 15 minutes until the onions are soft and translucent.
Meanwhile, make the pastry using our Shortcrust Pastry recipe. Roll the pastry into a greased 11" x 1½" (28cm x 4 cm) tart ring. Blind bake (see information page) for 20-25 minutes at Mk 4 - 350ºF - 180ºC. Remove blind baking and bake for a further 5 minutes for a golden brown base. Brush with the yolk from one egg.
For the filling, mix the cream, milk, eggs, egg yolks, then add the onions and thyme. Set to the side. Remove the skin from the black pudding and, in a food processor, blend it until it becomes a pâté. Separate into equal pieces and roll each piece separately in cling film, enough to cover the pastry base.
Grate (shred) the cheese and cut away the fat from the bacon slices (if you use streaky bacon instead of back bacon, you will not be able to do this). Lay one of the black pudding rounds in the pastry then cover with 10 slices of bacon (overlapping). Spinkle with half the grated cheese.
Ladle the cream, cheese and onion mix over. Repeat this process and then cover with the rest of the cheese. Bake in a pre heated moderate oven (Mk 3 - 325ºF - 170ºC) for 40-45 minutes until set. Finish under a hot griddle (broiler) to crisp the cheese and turn it a nice golden colour.