012 / 75 · Centerpieces with a twist

Lemon-Pea Sunflower Party Tart

1 green 23 cm/9 in tart, cut into 8 starter wedges · Active 35 min · Cook 1 hr · Total 4 hr

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Lemon and peas make a vivid savory filling above a sunflower crumb crust. It can be served chilled, which leaves the host oven free for the rest of the meal.

Jump to ingredients

A green pea and lemon tart wedge with a sunflower crumb crust.

Cook the peas before blending

Frozen peas are not assumed ready to eat. Complete their actual packet cooking instructions first, then drain and cool them. Simply adding frozen peas to a blender would skip that stage and add unwanted meltwater.

Press the crust with a light hand

A crumb crust needs enough pressure to hold, but not so much that it becomes a hard compressed layer. Build a low rim, then chill the finished tart before slicing if it will be carried elsewhere.

Ingredients

  • 300 g/10½ oz plain frozen peas
  • Packet-directed drinking water for cooking peas; drain away
  • 120 g/4¼ oz plain dry breadcrumbs
  • 40 g sunflower seeds (about ¼ cup), finely chopped
  • 60 g butter (about 4 tablespoons), melted
  • 180 g/6⅓ oz plain cream cheese
  • 2 large eggs, 100 g without shells
  • 60 ml milk (¼ cup)
  • 30 ml lemon juice (2 tablespoons)
  • 4 g washed fresh dill, finely chopped
  • 2 g fine salt (about ⅓ teaspoon)
  • 0.5 g black pepper (¼ teaspoon)

Set out

Oven, 23 cm/9 in metal tart tin with removable base, usable depth at least 3 cm/1¼ in and capacity at least 1.2 L, Rimmed supporting tray, Saucepan/colander as pea packet directs, Food processor, Bowl and spoon, Spatula, Food thermometer, Cooling rack, Refrigerator and rigid carrier

Allergens

Wheat, Milk, Egg. Check labels and substitutions.

Make it

  1. Heat the oven to 350°F/180°C. Cook all the peas for the full method, time and water quantity on their packet. Drain thoroughly and cool in a shallow bowl 10 minutes; do not taste them before cooking is complete.
  2. Mix breadcrumbs, sunflower seeds and all the melted butter. Press across the tin base and about 2 cm/¾ in up the sides. Set the tin on the supporting tray and bake 10 minutes.
  3. Blend cooked peas with cream cheese, eggs, milk, lemon juice, salt and pepper until mostly smooth. Stir in all the dill. Scrape onto the baked crust, keeping the filling at least 8 mm/⅓ in below the rim.
  4. Bake 35–40 minutes until the center is set with only a slight wobble and reaches 160°F/71°C. A liquid center requires more baking even when the crust has browned. Rest 20 minutes before serving warm, or refrigerate promptly and chill at least 2 hours for cold transport. Cut 8 wedges.

Bring it

For the recommended cold route, allow the extra chilling time and carry in a rigid lidded box inside an iced cooler at 40°F/4°C or below. Count unprotected transport and display together within 2 hours, or 1 hour above 90°F/32°C.

Finish at the gathering

No heat is required for the chilled version. Ask for an ice-supported platter or refrigerator, and bring a slim tart server. Put out 4 wedges at a time while the other 4 remain cold.

Make it yours

The green filling works in any season: use plain wedges for a lunch party, or divide each starter wedge in half for 16 small buffet tastes. The base recipe still makes 8 full starter portions.

Ingredient labels

Breadcrumbs contain wheat; butter, milk and cream cheese contain milk. Eggs and sunflower seeds are included; check seed and breadcrumb labels for other allergens.

A useful detail

The 240-minute cold-party estimate includes pea cooking and draining, crust work, up to 40 minutes filling baking, a 20-minute rest and at least 2 hours chilling. Warm service is ready in about 120 minutes. Longer pea packet times or chilling needed to reach 40°F/4°C extend the schedule.

Another way

  • Use 4 g washed fresh parsley instead of dill.
  • Replace sunflower seeds with 40 g chopped pumpkin seeds for a different crunch; check both seed labels.

Keep it well

Keep chilled at 40°F/4°C or below and use within 2 days or an earlier cream-cheese deadline. Refrigerate promptly after the stated rest and follow the Bring it handling limits. Reheat selected wedges to 165°F/74°C if desired. The crumb crust softens after chilling.