Sausage and Shallot Flan

Serves 2-3
Created in mums kitchen by me in June 2006.

Ingredients

6 skinless sausages
1 tbsp vege oil
4 nice shallots finely chopped
1/2 tsp sugar
4 large eggs
6oz/ 150g flour + extra for rolling out
1.5oz/ 37g butter
1.5oz/ 37g lard
6/7 tsp ice cold water
80g davidstow cheese or similar mature cheddar
s&p to taste
6 sprigs parsley
2 tbsp tomato puree

1) In a bowl sieve the flour and add a pinch of salt, chop in the fat (best left out of fridge for about 30mins first) and using your hands gently rub together to form a breadcrumb type mix, slowly add water and build up to a dough, wrap in cling film and place in fridge to rest.

2) In a frying pan heat the oil, add sausages and cook as per instructions, norm about 8 mins, when cooked place on kitchen towel to drain.

3) Finely chop the shallots and cook them on low/med heat in the sausage pan for about 10 mins adding sugar halfway through, until slightly golden, leave to one side.

4) Remove pastry from fridge, lightly dust the work surface, roll out pastry wide enough to fit your dish (mine is 20cm), line the dish.

5) Using greaseproof paper carefully place inside the dish over the pastry and weigh down with baking beans/ dried pulses, cook for about 10-15 mins

6) remove from oven and spread tomato puree over base

7) Halve sausages and line dish, spread over 1/2 the cooked shallots

8) In a bowl beat the eggs with remaining shallots, s&p (two pinches salt, about 6 grinds of pepper mill), cheese, 2/3 parsley roughly shredded, pour over sausages evenly

9) Cook for 25-30 mins on about gas 5/ elec 18o till golden and cooked through

10) Serve hot or cold with salad