SPICED PUMPKIN AND WALNUT TART
Preparation 35 minutes, plus chilling Cooking about 55 minutes Serves 6-8 Pumpkin is one of those marvellous vegetables that can be used in both sweet and savoury recipes – here, it’s matched with aromatic spices and a sweet walnut pastry to make a creamy-textured moreish tart.
3 large eggs, beaten 200g soured cream 125g light muscovado sugar 1 tsp ground ginger ½ tsp each ground cinnamon and cloves zest of 1 lemon 425g tin pumpkin purée (or the same weight of cooked, puréed pumpkin) 1 medium egg, beaten, to glaze
FOR THE PASTRY
225g plain flour 115g cold butter, diced 50g caster sugar 125g ground walnuts* 1 medium egg yolk, beaten with 2 tbsp ice-cold water
1 To make the pastry, put the flour into a bowl and rub in the butter until it resembles breadcrumbs. Stir in the sugar and ground walnuts. Stirring with a flat-bladed knife, add enough of the yolk and water until the mixture clumps together. Bring together with the tips of your fingers into a ball. Knead on a lightly floured worksurface until smooth. Flatten into a disc, wrap in clingfilm and chill for 20 minutes.
2 Lightly dust the worksurface again with flour. Roll out the pastry to a 3mm thickness and line a 4cm-deep, 22cm-round loose-bottomed flan tin. Prick the base with a fork and trim the edges. Chill until cold or pop in the freezer for 10 minutes.
3 Gather up the trimmings and knead briefly until smooth. Roll to 2mm thick and cut out leaf shapes. Put on a flour-dusted board and chill until needed.
4 Heat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan oven) gas mark 6. Put a baking tray inside to heat up. Line the pastry with a circle of crumpled baking parchment and baking beans. Bake for 10-12 minutes until the sides have set. Remove the paper and beans, and bake for 5 minutes until the base feels dry and sandy. Cool, then remove from the tin.
5 Turn down the temperature to 180°C (160°C fan oven) gas mark 4. Briefly beat together the large eggs, cream, sugar, spices and zest, then blend in the pumpkin. Put the pastry case on a baking sheet and pour in the pumpkin mixture. Arrange the leaves around the edge. Carefully brush with the beaten egg. Bake for 30-35 minutes until the tart wobbles slightly in the centre. Serve warm or chilled with cream or ice cream.