If you are craving for something crunchy, make Chef Sohail Karimi's Palak Corn Tarts.

Topped with grated cheese, it comes with a yummy filling of spinach, sweet corn and cream. Save yourself the trouble of making the tarts at home by buying readymade shells.

Have kids? Take their help and make this a family activity over the weekend.

Western delights are Chef Sohail's specialties and his recipes are meticulous.

Palak Corn Tarts

Serves: 6

For the pastry dough

• 1 cup maida or all-purpose flour + a little extra for rolling the tarts
• 100 gm butter
• Pinch salt
• 2-3 tbsp cold water
• Cling film

For the filling

• 2-3 garlic pods, finely chopped
• 2 cups chopped palak or spinach
• 1/3 cup boiled sweet corn
• 4-5 tbsp fresh cream
• 2 tbsp butter + extra to grease the tart moulds
• 1 tbsp maida or all-purpose flour
• ½ tsp paprika powder
• ½ tsp black pepper powder
• Pinch jaiphal or nutmeg powder
• Salt to taste, around ½ tsp
• 50 gm Parmesan cheese, grated
• 50 gm mozzarella cheese, grated
• 2-3 tbsp oil
• Mini tart moulds
• A round 3-inch diameter cookie cutter

Method

For the pastry dough

• In a bowl, sift the flour and salt.
  Add 1 tbsp of the butter.
  The butter should not be softened and should be right out of the refrigerator.
  Use a stand mixer or your hands to mix or cut the butter into the flour.
  Keep rubbing it with your fingertips until the mixture becomes fine breadcrumbs.
  Add 2-3 tbsp cold water and knead to make a firm dough.
  Once done, wrap it in cling film and chill for at least 2 hours.

For the filling

• Heat the oil in a kadhai or saucepan.
  Add the chopped garlic.
  Saute for a few minutes.
  Add the chopped spinach.
  Keep cooking until the raw smell disappears.
  Take off heat and keep aside.
• In a large saucepan, add the remaining 1 tbsp butter and melt over low heat.
  Once the butter melts, add the flour and mix well.
  Slowly add the fresh cream and keep stirring to avoid lumps.
  Let it cook until you achieve a thickish white sauce consistency.
  Add in the spinach-garlic mixture, boiled sweet corn, paprika powder, nutmeg powder, salt, pepper and mix well.
  Take off heat and keep aside.

For baking and assembling the tarts

• Preheat an oven to 180°C.
  Grease the mini tart moulds with a little butter; preferably use a non-stick mould.
• Roll the chilled dough on a floured surface and cut out circles with a cookie cutter.
  Press one circle into each mould and cut off the excess dough.
  Place the prepared tart moulds in the oven and let them bake at 180°C for 20 minutes.
  Take out from the oven and cool.
• Once the tarts have cooled down, fill with the prepared stuffing and top both the grated cheeses.
  Bake again for 5 minutes at 180°C.
  Serve warm with a bit of salad on the side.

Editor's Note: Consider adding 4-5 tbsp shredded boiled chicken or fried bacon bits to the stuffing for a meaty flavour.

For a Jain version of these tarts, skip the garlic.

To veganise them, use almond milk instead of cream, cashew butter instead of regular butter and grated vegan cheese instead of grated mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.

For gluten-free tarts, use ragi flour instead of maida.

Chef Sohail Karimi is the executive chef at the Radisson Blu Resort and Convention Centre, Karjat.

• REDIFF RECIPES