This extra special tart with crumbly walnut pastry makes a fabulous vegetarian dinner
Prep:40 mins
Serves 6 – 8
200g plain flour, plus a little extra for rolling pastry100g plain wholemeal flour175g cold butter, 150g diced into chunks100g walnut, roughly chopped in a food processor3 eggs, plus 2 yolks400g shallot, sliced1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves, plus extra to decorate200ml pot crème fraîche200ml double cream140g blue cheese – Danish Blue is a good vegetarian one3-4 figs, halved, cut sides brushed with a little oil
STEP 1First make the pastry. Tip the flours into a food processor with ½ tsp salt and the diced butter. Pulse until you can’t feel any lumps, then tip in the walnuts. Mix the egg yolks with 3 tbsp cold water, then dribble this into the machine while you pulse again until the pastry comes together. Tip the pastry out onto a floured surface, lightly bring it together into a ball, then roll out and line a deep 20-23cm tart tin with overhang. The pastry may crack, but just patch it back together, then cover and chill for 1 hr.STEP 2To make the filling, melt the remaining butter in a large pan, then add the shallots and soften for 10-15 mins, until golden and squishy. Stir in the thyme for 1 min, then remove from the heat. Beat the eggs in a jug with the crème fraîche and cream. Crumble in the cheese and season with pepper and a small amount of salt.STEP 3Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Blind bake the pastry for 20 mins, remove the baking beans and paper, then bake for a further 15-20 mins until golden and sandy. Reduce the oven temp to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Add the cooled onions to the cream mixture and pour into the case. Sit the fig halves on top, cut side up, sprinkle with some more thyme and bake on the middle shelf for 1 hr-1hr 10 mins until the tart is browning and has a slight wobble – the cheese middle will firm up on sitting. Cool for about 15-20 mins, then remove from tin and serve with a green salad.
