(Tarte à la Tome)

SERVES 8

Similar to farmers' cheese, the fresh curd of cantal cheese, called tome de cantal, is used in many dishes in the Auvergne, including this vanilla-tinged, mildly savory dessert.

1 1⁄2 cups flour
1 tsp. plus 1⁄4 tsp. fine salt
7 tbsp. unsalted butter, cubed
   and chilled
1 cup farmers' cheese
1⁄2 cup confectioners' sugar
1⁄4 cup heavy cream
1 1⁄2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 eggs, lightly beaten

1. Combine flour and 1 tsp. salt on a work surface. Using your fingers, rub butter into flour until no pieces larger than peas remain. Make a well in the center and pour in 1⁄4 cup cold water. Stirring with your fingertips, mix water into flour. Shape dough into a disk, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for 1 hour.

2. Roll dough out to a circle 12" in diameter. Fold dough over rolling pin and unfold over a 9" fluted tart pan with a removable bottom. Ease dough over bottom and into sides of pan. Run rolling pin over top of pan to pinch off overhanging dough, prick the bottom all over with a fork, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

3. Heat oven to 400°. Line tart shell with parchment paper, fill with dried beans or pie weights, and bake until dough's edges are golden, about 15 minutes. Remove beans and parchment, prick bottom again with fork, and bake until bottom is no longer doughy, about 20 minutes more. Let cool.

4. In a medium bowl, whisk together remaining salt, farmers' cheese, sugar, cream, vanilla, and eggs. Pour into tart shell and bake until filling is set and top is browned, 50–60 minutes. Let cool before slicing and serving.