Bacon, Leek, and Cheddar Tart

Preheat the oven to 400ºF.

For the crust, in a medium bowl, measure flour, salt, and sugar. Mix ingredients with a fork. In a measuring cup, make an emulsion of the oil and milk by beating with a fork. Pour the emulsion over the dry ingredients and toss with a fork until all of the flour is moistened. Press into a 10-inch tart pan (with removable bottom) with fingers until evenly distributed. Prick the bottom of the crust with a fork in several places.

In a small bowl, lightly beat egg white (reserve the yolk for the tart). Using a pastry brush, coat the crust with the egg white. Place the tart pan on a baking sheet and bake the crust in the oven until the egg white has set, about 8 minutes. Allow the crust to cool.

Meanwhile, prepare the filling. In a large skillet, cook the bacon pieces until they are brown and crispy. Remove to a paper towel to drain. Discard all but 1 tablespoon of the bacon fat from the pan. Add the chopped leeks and sauté until they are softened and translucent.

In a large bowl, whisk the eggs and the reserved egg yolk (from the egg used for the crust). Add the mascarpone cheese to the eggs and mix until smooth. Fold in the shredded cheese, sautéed leeks, bacon, salt and pepper. Pour the mixture into the cooled crust and bake until the center has set and the top is golden, about 18-25 minutes.

Allow the tart to cool before slicing.