Nectarine Tart

, from Issue #59. September, 2015
Photography by Manja Wachsmuth.
Nectarine Tart

Crisp buttery pastry topped with slices of juicy stone fruit is always a winner.

Serves: 10–12

INGREDIENTS

Pastry
1¾ cups plain flour
⅓ cup caster sugar
¼ teaspoon sea salt
100 grams chilled butter, diced
1 x large egg 
1 x large egg yolk 
2-3 tablespoons cold water

To assemble
8-10 firm but ripe nectarines, peacharines or peaches 
1 tablespoon melted butter
2 tablespoons crushed biscuit crumbs (I used a crisp gingernut biscuit, but you can use any plain biscuit)

To serve
icing sugar
whipped cream or yoghurt (optional)

30cm pizza tin or a loose bottom tart tin

METHOD

Pastry: Put the flour, sugar, salt and butter in a food processor and process until it resembles coarse crumbs. Stir the egg, egg yolk and 2 tablespoons of the water together and then add to the dough. Pulse until it just starts to come together, adding the remaining water if necessary. 

Tip onto the bench and gently bring together by hand and form into a flat disc. The dough will feel quite sticky. Wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 180°C.

Roll the pastry out on a lightly floured bench and line the tin, ensuring the pastry around the edge of the tin isn’t too thin or it will burn quickly. If the pastry breaks just push it together in the tin – it’s very forgiving. 

Chill the pastry again while you slice the fruit into 1cm thick wedges. I leave the skin on.

To assemble: Starting from the outside, arrange the fruit in concentric circles over the pastry then fill in the centre. The fruit should fit very snugly. Brush the tops with the melted butter then scatter with the crumbs.

Bake for about 25 minutes or until the pastry is golden and crisp and the fruit is just tender. Dust with icing sugar and serve warm or at room temperature with softly whipped cream or thick yoghurt. 

Cook’s tip: Pizza tins are readily available from most supermarkets and are ideal for this type of tart. The holes in the base ensure the pastry is lovely and crisp when baked.