FIG AND PEACH TART

This easy-to-assemble tart is bursting with quintessential summer flavours of the eastern Mediterranean: ripe figs and sweet peaches, best served with a dollop of fresh cream or kaymak and a cup of coffee.

SERVES 4-6

For the pastry

250g plain flour, plus extra for dusting

45g caster sugar

¼ tsp salt

150g cold unsalted butter, finely chopped

1 egg yolk

1 tbsp cold water

For the filling

2 ripe peaches (total weight about 320g)

5 ripe figs

1 tsp vanilla extract

½ tsp ground cinnamon 1 tbsp lemon juice

75g demerara sugar

3 tbsp cornflour

For the glaze

1 egg white, lightly beaten 2 tbsp demerara sugar

To make the pastry, place the flour, caster sugar, salt and butter in a large bowl and rub together with your fingertips until they resemble breadcrumbs.

Lightly beat the egg yolk with the cold water, then add to the bowl, using your hands to lightly knead everything together into a soft ball of dough. Wrap in cling film and transfer to the fridge for 1 hour. When you are ready to start baking, preheat the oven to 200°C, gas mark 6.

Slice the peaches into 2cm-thick slices, removing the stones, and quarter the figs. Place the fruit in a bowl and toss with the vanilla extract, ground cinnamon, lemon juice, demerara sugar and cornflour.

Place a sheet of baking parchment on a work surface and put the ball of pastry on it. Lightly flour a rolling pin and use it to roll out the pastry into a circle of around 5mm thick and 35cm in diameter. Don’t worry if the edges are rough and the pastry starts coming apart, just squish it together with your fingers. Place the baking parchment with the dough on a baking tray.

Now arrange the peach and fig slices in the centre of the circle, leaving a 5cm border. You can do this by piling them all into the middle or making a pattern, such as concentric circles. Once you are done, fold the edges of the pastry over the fruit. Use your fingers to bring the pastry together where you have gaps.

Finally, use a pastry brush to lightly coat the top of the pastry with the beaten egg white, then sprinkle the crust with some demerara sugar.

Bake for around 40 minutes, until the top of the pastry is an even, dark golden brown. You can serve the tart warm, but the flavours improve at room temperature, so it is best to leave it to cool for 30 minutes.