Mattentaart (Geraardsbergen Curd Tart)
Geraardsbergse mattentaart Say it: khay-ARDs-berg-suh MATT-en-tart
Mattentaart is the small, round curd tart of Geraardsbergen in East Flanders, a protected regional speciality sold in the town's bakeries since well before anyone thought to write the recipe down. Its filling is 'matten': whole milk curdled with buttermilk, drained overnight and beaten with eggs and sugar. Sealed under a puff-pastry lid, it bakes into something between cheesecake and custard tart — tangy, moist and softly set, with the filling puffing up and settling back as it cools.
Mattentaart (Geraardsbergen Curd Tart)
Geraardsbergse mattentaart
Pronounced khay-ARDs-berg-suh MATT-en-tart
- Serves
- 8
- Prep
- 40 min
- Cook
- 40 min
- Total
- 1 hr 20 min
- Level
- Medium
Also nut-free.
Allergens: contains gluten, milk, egg. Check labels on packaged ingredients.
Ingredients
Amounts are scaled. Cooking times and pan sizes stay the same.
For the matten (curd) — makes about 1 lb (450 g)
For the tart
Method
Make the matten. warm the milk in a heavy pot to 95–100°F (35–38°C) — lukewarm, never hot. Whisk in the buttermilk, cover the pot and leave it at room temperature for 12–18 hours, until the milk has set into a soft, yogurt-like curd.
Set the pot over low heat and warm it slowly to about 140°F (60°C) for 20–30 minutes, without stirring much, until the curd pulls away from the pale greenish whey. Do not let it boil or the curd turns rubbery.
Ladle the curd into a muslin-lined sieve set over a bowl and drain in the refrigerator for 8–12 hours, until it is dry, dense and crumbly. Weigh it: you need about 1 lb (450 g) for the tart.
Beat the drained matten with the 4 eggs, the sugar and the salt for 2–3 minutes, until the filling is smooth, thick and just pourable.
Heat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Roll out two-thirds of the pastry and line a 10-inch (26 cm) tart pan, pressing it into the corners; chill for 15 minutes. Roll the rest into a lid.
Pour in the filling and level it. Brush the pastry rim with beaten egg, lay the lid on top, press the edges to seal, trim the overhang and cut three or four small vents in the lid. Brush the lid with beaten egg.
Bake for 15 minutes, then lower the oven to 350°F (175°C) and bake for 25–30 minutes more, until the pastry is deep golden and the lid is puffed and set. Cover loosely with foil if it browns too fast.
Cool completely in the pan on a rack, at least 2 hours: the filling sinks back and firms up as it cools, and cutting it warm makes it run.
Regional variants
Some bakers leave the tart open, without a pastry lid, so the filling browns in patches on top; a pinch of cinnamon in the filling is a common home touch. Outside Belgium, well-drained full-fat ricotta or quark can stand in for the matten in a pinch.
Cook's notes
- The matten must be properly dry — if it still looks wet after draining, leave it in the cloth for a few more hours, or the tart will be soggy.
- Use a puff pastry made with real butter; the plain margarine kind loses the crisp, layered lift that defines the tart.
- The tart is best on the day it is baked but keeps well, and the matten itself can be made up to 3 days ahead and refrigerated.
Serve with
Serve at room temperature with strong coffee, or a small glass of jenever.
Make ahead and storage
Keeps 2 days covered at room temperature or 4 days refrigerated; bring back to room temperature before serving. The matten can be drained up to 3 days ahead.
