Plum & ginger crostata

SERVES 8 PREP + COOK TIME 1 HOUR 45 MINUTES (+ FREEZING & STANDING TIME)

4 plums, cut into thin wedges

1⁄3 cup (75g) coffee crystals 2 tablespoons glacé ginger, sliced very thinly

PASTRY

12⁄3 cups (250g) plain flour

1⁄3 cup (55g) icing sugar

150g cold unsalted butter, chopped finely

1 teaspoon soy sauce

¼ cup (60ml) iced water

WALNUT & GINGER PASTE

¾ cup (75g) walnuts, roasted

½ cup (115g) glacé ginger, chopped

50g butter, softened

¼ cup (35g) self-raising flour

1 egg yolk, reserve the egg white

1 PASTRY Pulse the flour and sugar in a food processor until combined. Add the butter and soy sauce; pulse until mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add the iced water; pulse until mixture almost comes together. Turn dough onto a work surface and press into a disc. Wrap dough in plastic wrap; freeze for 20 minutes only.

2 WALNUT & GINGER PASTE Process walnuts, ginger, butter, flour and egg yolk until mixture forms a smooth paste.

3 Preheat oven to 200˚C (180˚C fan-forced). Roll out pastry between two pieces of floured baking paper into a 35cm round. Remove top piece of baking paper; carefully lift baking paper with pastry onto a large flat oven tray. Spread walnut and ginger paste over pastry, leaving a 5cm border.

4 Starting at the edge of the filled round, place plum wedges in concentric circles. Carefully fold pastry edge in, pleating it as you go to partially cover the outside circle of plums. Brush folded pastry edge with reserved egg white. Sprinkle coffee crystals liberally over plums and pastry.

5 Bake the crostata on lower shelf for 25-30 minutes. Reduce temperature to 170˚C (150˚C fan-forced) for a further 15-20 minutes or until pastry is deep golden brown.

Unbaked crostata suitable to freeze.