Melktert (Milk Tart) Recipe


"This is a South African favourite, especially at tea time".

The recipe makes one 30cm tart.

INGREDIENTS:

Sweet Shortcrust Pastry
125g Butter
100g Castor Sugar
Pinch of Salt
205g Cake Flour
5ml Ground Mixed Spice
2 Egg Yolks
30ml Ice-cold Water

Custard Filling
1.125 Litres Milk
50g Butter
2-3 Pieces Stick Cinnamon
200g Castor Sugar
40g Cake Flour
35g Corn Flour
Pinch of Salt
3 Eggs
5ml Vanilla Essence
Ground Cinnamon for Sprinkling

DIRECTIONS :
Pastry
The pastry can be made by hand or in a food processor.
1. Cream together the Butter, Sugar and Salt and then rub or pulse in the Flour, Mixed Spice and Egg Yolks. Add the Ice-Cold Water and process to form a firm dough, taking care not to overwork the pastry.
2. Roll the pastry into a large, fat sausage. Wrap snugly in cling film and rest in the refrigerator for at least an hour.
3. Grease a 30cm metal tart mould.
4. Slice the pastry into thin slivers approximately 3-5mm thick and line the tart mould. Simply press them together, level out and then tidy up the sides by pushing with your thumb. Alternative, roll out the pastry on a lightly-floured surface and transfer gently to the tart mould. Prick all over with a fork.
5. Freeze for at least an hour before baking.
6. Preheat the over to 200˚C. Bake the pastry shell direct from the freezer until crisp and golden - about 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool before filling.
The Custard Filling
1. Pour the milk into a large glass bowl suitable for microwave oven. Add the butter and stick cinnamon and bring to the boil.
2. Whisk together the castor sugar, Cake Flour, Corn Flour, Salt and 3 whole Eggs.
3. Pour this mixture gradually into the hot milk mixture while whisking continuously. I know this should be done the other way around, but I have found that by whisking vigorously you can prevent clumps from forming. Also, the secret is to have really hot milk to start off with so that the mixture starts to thicken almost immediately.
4. Microwave on high for 3 to 4 1 minute intervals. Whisk after each interval until the mixture is cooked.
5. Remove the stick cinnamon and add the vanilla essence. Mix well.
6. Pour the hot mixture into the pastry shell. Sprinkle liberally with ground cinnamon and allow to cool completely before serving.

Smoorsnoek

This is delicious and quick dish to make and any left over fish can also be used. We normally use snoek which is a local Cape Town fish but any cooked fish can also be substituted. Serve on rice with a side salad.

Ingredients
2 large onions, sliced
2 cloves garlic, chopped
pinch of ground cloves
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
a blob of butter
2 large tomatoes
1 teaspoon dried red chillies
5 medium potatoes, cubed
750 g smoked snoek – or other cooked fish
freshly ground black pepper
freshly chopped parsley


Method
1. Flake the snoek, taking care to remove all the bones.
2. Fry the onion in the oil and butter until lightly browned.
3. Add the garlic and chillies.
4. Add the tomatoes and braise for a few minutes.
5. Add the flaked snoek, ground cloves and black pepper.
6. Add the potato cubes and simmer for 15 minutes or until potatoes are cooked.
7. Add the parsley.

Serves 6
Smoorsnoek can be frozen.