Sauerkraut Tart

My husband made his annual sauerkraut, the recipe for the cabbage and the sauerkraut are in Odd Bits.  Of course we had leftovers, which we enjoyed during the week. We devoured the sausages and pork hocks first and then were left with just tasty cabbage. What to do with it other than Reuben sandwiches?

I found a recipe for a tarte au choucroute. I thought what an interesting idea, but of course I didn't follow it. It was simply a quiche using sauerkraut. Although they suggested you could use canned sauerkraut, but I wouldn't. Cooked in duck fat with apple, onion and pork hocks, the sauerkraut is so much more flavourful. The following is my sauerkraut tart, the only proviso is make it in a deep flan pan to make sure you can fit all the filling.

225g / 8 ounces lard pastry (1/2 the recipe)
2 slices bacon, about 45g / 1 1/2 ounces
100g / 3 1/2 ounces Munster cheese
200g / 7 ounces cooked sauerkraut (left over from a sauerkraut garnie)
3 eggs
125ml / 1/2 cup whole milk
125ml / 1/2 cup whipping (heavy) cream
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Roll out the pastry on a floured surface and line a 23-cm / 9-inch tart pan, with a removable bottom, then refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Place a baking sheet in the oven and preheat to 190C / 375F. Cut the bacon into thin strips and fry gently until the fat is rendered and the bacon crisp. Remove the bacon from the pan and drain, dice the cheese.

Place the lined tart pan on the baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and scatter the sauerkraut over the base. Top with the cooked bacon and cheese.

Whisk the eggs, milk, cream, and season with salt and pepper and pour over the sauerkraut. Bake for 25 minutes or until set, golden and lightly puffed.

If you still have pork left you can skip the bacon and just add diced hock. It should serve 4, but it might only serve 3 sauerkraut lovers.