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Irish cheddar, bacon and chard tartMoe Doiron / The Globe and Mail

Here's a St. Patrick's Day dish that hits all the notes: Irish cheddar, thick Irish bacon and bright green chard tucked into beer pastry. If Irish cheddar is unavailable, use old Canadian cheddar, while double-smoked Canadian bacon can stand in for Irish. And don't be afraid to use a flavourful ale; you'll taste it in the background of this tasty pastry.

Servings: 6

Ready Time: 2 hours

Crust

1½ cups all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon salt

½ cup butter, cubed

¼ cup cold Irish beer

Filling

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

4 ounces (125 grams) bacon, diced

1 bunch Swiss chard, stems and mid-ribs removed

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

4 ounces (125 grams) Irish cheddar, grated

3 eggs, beaten

1 cup whipping cream

Salt and pepper

Method

Combine flour and salt. Cut in butter by hand or in a food processor. Add just enough beer to bring pastry together into a ball.

Roll out pastry to fit a 9-inch tart pan with removable bottom. Fit it into the pan. Trim edges. Place in the freezer for 30 minutes or until firm.

Preheat oven to 425 F.

Place tart pan on a baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes or until bottom of pastry is cooked and slightly puffed. Prick pastry base with a fork to deflate and bake 5 to 10 minutes longer or until golden and cooked through.

Remove from oven.

Reduce heat to 375 F.

Add butter to skillet on medium heat and sauté bacon for 4 minutes or until edges are golden and fat is rendered. Drain bacon on paper towels and set aside.

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil on high heat. Add Swiss chard and blanch for one minute or until tender. Drain and squeeze out any liquid. Chop coarsely.

Brush base of pastry with mustard. Sprinkle in bacon, Swiss chard and grated cheese. Beat together eggs and cream. Season well with salt and pepper. Pour over ingredients in tart.

Bake tart for 25 to 30 minutes or until filling is lightly golden and cooked through.

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