Frico Landkass, Cheese And Salmon Tart

This post is brought to you by Nuffnang and Frico Landkaas.

I think it is safe to say that Holiday entertaining is incomplete without cheese. Cheese is such a versatile ingredient that you could keep it simple, use it in complex dishes or serve it on its own. It’s always a winner! While I am getting slightly better at putting a cheese tray together through the years, this year I am exploring Dutch cheeses/semi hard cheeses for a creative touch to my platter. I am counting on Frico Landkaas to impress my guests. That’s right! Frico Landkaas, the tastiest cheese has landed.

Frico Landkaas comes from the lush, green pastures of Netherlands. It is characterized by its distinct round eyes that is typical of a Swiss style cheese, only Frico Landkaas is creamier. It is a delicious cheese and the best part is that it is pure, 100% natural with no additives and preservatives. The delicate, sweet nuttiness and savoury finish can be combined to create delicious sandwiches, decadent toasties, impressive appetizers and creative cheese and fruit boards.

Frico Landkaas is a semi hard cheese. Semi hard cheeses as the name suggests fall between soft cheeses (like Brie, Camembert) and firm ones (like Cheddar, Parmesan). These are creamy, melt easily and have a nice balance of sweetness and a decent amount of salt without being pungent. So, having the advantage of a longer shelf life (than a soft cheese) yet not being too overpowering (like vintage cheeses), Frico Landkaas will certainly appeal to a wider palate. The silky texture ensures it blends well into different types of recipes and enhances the flavour of the final dish.

My little boys took an instant liking to Frico Landkass. Not all kids enjoy the strong taste of cheddar in their toasties and are not fans of brie or feta either. I am so glad I found the perfect cheese for them. Still, I was curious to use it in a recipe replacing a hard cheese and wanted to see how it would taste and respond to cooking. This quiche like tart is a big favourite in our house and its versatility enables me to play around with whatever protein and vegetables I have at hand. Using Frico Landkaas in the recipe made it even more desirable. It not only tasted delicious but complemented the creamy texture of the quiche as well. A perfectly cooked quiche with a buttery, flaky pastry and a creamy custard dotted with cheese and veggies/meat is one of the greatest pleasures in life.

Frico Landkaas is conveniently located in the Deli section of Woolworths supermarkets all over Australia. Did it occur to you while reading through the post what Landkaas really means? Well, it’s Dutch for ‘Cheese from the land’! I love my ‘kaas’ to come from the hands of experienced craftsmen from a land with a rich cheese making tradition.

How about you? Have you ever tried Dutch cheese?

Cook’s Notes:

• If you do not want to make shortcrust pastry from scratch, store bought sheets can be used.
• Smoked salmon can be substituted for canned salmon
• You could substitute celery with leeks or onions as well, though celery adds an element of crunch to the filling.Frico Cheese and Salmon Tart
  Yields a 8 inch round tartFor the Shortcrust Pastry
  125 g butter, chilled and chopped into cubes
  11/2 cups plain flour
  2 egg yolks
  1 tbsp cold waterFor the Filling
  1 tsp olive oil
  2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
  300 g thin celery stalks, thinly sliced
  1 can (415 g) red salmon flakes, drained
  1 /2 cup Frico Landkass, grated, divided
  ½ tsp mixed herbs
  4 eggs
  ½ cup heavy cream
  salt and pepper, to season
  fresh herbs/salad leaves to serve

  Preheat oven to 200 degrees C. To make the pastry, place butter and flour together in a food processor and process until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add the egg yolks and water and process until dough just comes together. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead till smooth. Shape the dough into a disc, wrap in cling film and place in the fridge for 15 minutes.

  Roll the dough on a lightly floured surface into a round disc. Line a 8 inch fluted tart pan (with a removal base) with the rolled out dough. Trim the edges with a small knife. Place in the fridge for 30 minutes to rest.

  Meanwhile heat oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and celery and cook for 5-10 minutes until it softens. Remove from heat.

  Cover pastry base in the tart pan with baking paper and fill with baking beans. Place on a baking tray. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove beans and baking paper and bake for a further 10 minutes or until pastry is golden brown. Remove from oven. Cool slightly (about 10 minutes) and reduce oven temperature to 170 degrees C.

  Spoon the celery over the pastry case. Top with salmon and half the quantity of grated Frico Landkaas. Sprinkle with mixed herbs. Whisk together eggs and cream in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Pour over the celery and salmon mixture. Top with the remaining grated Frico Landkass. Bake for 30 minutes or until just set. Serve with fresh salad leaves.