HECK Sausage, Chestnut and Cranberry Tart

Serves 8-10

Get into the swing of festive flavours this month with this tasty Sausage, Chestnut and Cranberry Tart from the team at Bedale Based HECK. Using their 97% Heck sausages, this quick and simple dish serves 8-10 people and makes a show stopping centre piece for Christmas parties. Kick off the season in style and join the HECK team at their Christmas Market this weekend. Taking place on Saturday 11th December at HECK HQ in Kirklington between 11-3pm, the market will feature an array of festive activities for children as well as a number of local food stalls, plus Santa will be making a special guest appearance and bringing a post box for children to post their letters in time for the big day. For more information visit their website www.heckfood.co.uk

Ingredients

1 pack Heck 97% sausages

375g pack fresh ready-rolled short crust pastry, at room temperature

1/2 tbsp olive oil

1 large white onion, diced

180g whole chestnuts, roughly chopped

100g dried cranberries

1 large egg

Honey

100g fresh white breadcrumbs

1.5tsp dried sage

Pinch of black pepper

Optional decoration-

50g cranberry sauce

50g pecans, roughly chopped

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/ fan160°C/gas 4. Unroll the pastry and use to line a 28cm round, fluted tart tin. Line with baking paper and baking beans and blind bake for 5 minutes. Remove the paper and beans.
  2. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a small frying pan over a medium heat. Add the onions and cook for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and golden. Tip into a large bowl.
  3. De skin the sausages, add to the bowl, with the chopped chestnuts, cranberries, sage, black pepper, egg, and fresh breadcrumbs. Mix until really well combined.
  4. Spoon into the pastry case and press down evenly to level out. Bake for 20 minutes, then remove from the oven, drizzle over the honey onto the pastry case and bake for a further 5 minutes until golden.
  5. To decorate, mix the cranberry sauce and pecans and spoon round the edge of the tart. Serve with a mixed leaf salad.