Even though I get my CSA delivery on Wednesday, after a weekend of eating fast food I felt compelled to amass green things for my fridge at the store last night. It is sooooo close to being vegetable season in Pittsburgh it's hard for me to brave the burgeoning produce section of the grocery store, lest I be tempted with foreign delicacies from Mexico and South America. Unfortunately, with the exceptions of salad greens and mushrooms, there's not yet a single piece of Pennsylvania produce in sight.

So for now, and for a least another week or two, California has me... which means asparagus and peas and artichokes and today's muse, leeks! The leeks at Whole Foods this week were these massive kelly-green Lawn Jarts. They exploded out of the produce bag as thick as my wrist, begging to be used as an assault weapon. These were mafioso-quality leeks, as fit for banging in someone's kneecaps as they were for this savory tart.

Owing to a failed asparagus quiche attempt* last week, I had a crust all ready to go, as well as some goat cheese. The last of mom's dried thyme, a few eggs from the CSA and a dash of salt and pepper... and voila! I think the best part is that color, the definition of spring green, vibrant and virile and fresh. And tasty, oh so very tasty.

Leek and Goat Cheese Tart
A Burghilicious Original

1 recipe pâte brisée (savory short crust pastry)
2 mega-leeks (about 1 pound), white and light green parts only, halved, washed and sliced to 1/4"
8 ounces goat cheese, at room temperature
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons dried thyme
Olive oil for brushing

Preheat the oven to 350º F. Roll out your crust to a 12" circle, then transfer to a 9.5" tart pan or 9" pie plate. Press into crevices, then trim the edges.Prick liberally with a fork. Bake empty (a.k.a. parbake) for 8 minutes.

While the crust bakes all by its lonesome, prepare the filling. Whisk goat cheese until smooth, then beat in the two eggs. Whisk together until mixture is smooth and uniform, with a custardy consistency. Add the thyme and season with salt and pepper.

Gently deflate any poofy spots in the parbaked crust, which should be a light and buttery gold after 8 minutes in the oven. Fill the crust with the goat cheese mixture and spread it smooth with a spatula. Top with fresh leek slices, separated, mounding pieces slightly higher in the center. Brush the leeks with a small bit of olive oil. Bake at 350º F for 35-45 minutes, or until crust is golden-brown and goat cheese mixture is almost cooked through but still a bit underdone in the center.** Leeks will be slightly browned around the edges and quite tender. Remove from oven and let sit for 10 minutes before serving. Excellent with a green salad and fruit.

*The failure was not due to the recipe. The failure was due to a bout of staggering laziness exhaustion and resignation to Kraft Deluxe Macaroni and Cheese (the kind with the squeezy pasteurized processed cheese food product) and Keebler Fudge Sticks (which are essentially miniature KitKat bars). After the, ahem, exhaustion passed, the asparagus was no longer of this world - a shame.

**You may need to remove the tart from the oven and lift up some of the leeks to gauge this. For a reference point, try testing the tart at 35 minutes, then go from there.