Savory Fig Tart Food

FIG AND ALMOND TART

Steps:

• Combine the flour, 2 tablespoons sugar, lemon zest, and salt in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until blended. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse meal. With the machine running, gradually add the water until moist clumps form. Turn the mixture out onto a work surface and form into a ball. Flatten the dough into a disk and wrap in plastic wrap. Chill the dough for 1 hour.
• In a clean food processor bowl, combine remaining sugar, almond paste, mascarpone cheese, vanilla extract, and honey. Blend until smooth.
• Position an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• On a large sheet of parchment paper, roll out the dough into an 11-inch circle. Transfer the dough to a large, heavy baking sheet. Spread the almond filling over the dough, leaving a 2-inch border. Arrange the figs on top of the almond filling. Spoon the jam over the figs. Fold the dough border over the filling to form an 8-inch round, pleating the crust loosely and pinching to seal any cracks in the dough.
• Bake the tart until the crust is golden, about 40 minutes. Place the baking sheet on a rack to cool for 10 minutes, then slide a metal spatula under the crust to free the tart from the parchment. Transfer the tart to a platter and serve.
• Cook's Note: To reconstitute dried figs, simmer in water for 5 minutes. Let the mixture cool completely. Strain before using.

FIG TART WITH CARAMELIZED ONIONS, ROSEMARY AND STILTON

Steps:

• In a large skillet over low heat, melt butter with oil. Add onions, rosemary and sugar. Cook, tossing occasionally, until onions are limp and golden brown, 30 to 40 minutes. Stir in the vinegar, scraping any browned bits from bottom of pan.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the milk and egg until smooth. Stir in the onions. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line an 11 by 17-inch baking sheet with parchment paper. On a lightly floured surface, roll out pastry to a 9 by 12-inch rectangle. Transfer to baking sheet.
• Use a fork to spread onion mixture evenly over pastry (let excess egg mixture drip back into bowl), leaving a 1-inch border. Arrange figs, cut-side up, in even rows on onion mixture. Scatter cheese and pine nuts over figs. Use a pastry brush to dab edges of tart with egg mixture. Gently fold over edges of tart to form a lip and brush with more egg mixture.
• Bake until pastry is puffed and golden, 25 to 30 minutes. Serve, sprinkled with rosemary needles and drizzled with honey, if desired, warm or at room temperature.

SAVORY FIG TART

Steps:

• Make the tart dough. Combine 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour and 1 tsp Kosher salt in a large mixing bowl, then whisk. Add 1 cup unsalted butter that's been cubed, then use a pastry cutter to incorporate the butter into the flour. Keep working at it until the butter resembles the shape of small peas. Add ½ cup ice water, then use your hands to thoroughly mix until the dough just until it comes together into a smooth ball. Once that happens, stop mixing.
• Rest the dough. Cover the dough with plastic wrap, then refrigerate for about 30-60 minutes until lightly chilled.
• Press the dough into a tart shell. Preheat an oven to 375F. Roll the tart dough out onto a lightly floured piece of parchment paper to a thickness of about ¼ - ½". If it's too chilled to roll out, let it sit for 10 minutes at room temperature, then try again. Carefully transfer the dough to a 9" tart shell or traditional pie plate. Press dough gently into the pan, pushing the dough up the side, then trim any excess. Use a fork to prick all over the surface of the dough. Rest the dough for 20-30 minutes.
• Parbake the tart dough. Cover the tart dough with a large piece of parchment, enough so that it hangs over the sides by a couple of inches. Fill with pie weights, then partially blind bake for 25 minutes. Allow to cool slightly, then carefully lift the parchment to remove the weights. Reduce the oven temperature to 350F.
• Make the filling. Combine 8 oz goat cheese, 2 Tbsp crumbled gorgonzola cheese, 1 lemon zested + 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice, 1 egg, 2 tsp chopped rosemary, 1 Tbsp honey, and ½ tsp Kosher salt into the bowl of a food processor fitted with blade attachment. Process until smooth.
• Fill the tart, then bake. Pour the filling into the cooled shell, then smooth the top with a spatula. Arrange quartered figs on top, cut side up. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the filling has set.
• Cool, then serve. Allow the tart to cool for 15-20 minutes (it's easier to cut this way!), then serve immediately with a generous drizzle of balsamic vinegar, an extra crumble of gorgonzola (if using), and flaky sea salt. We love to add a few handfuls of baby arugula too!

FIG & BLUE CHEESE TART

Steps:

• First 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.
• To 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.
• Heat 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.

SAVORY FIG TART

Steps:

• Adjust rack to the middle and preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Lightly dust the work surface and pastry with the flour. Roll the pastry out to a 7-x15-inch rectangle. Brush the perimeter with water. Fold all four edges over, creating a 1/2-inch overlapping frame around the pastry. Transfer to the baking sheet.
• Poke the pastry all over with a fork, then bake until firm and golden all over, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes.
• Preheat the broiler. Fill the pastry with the fig spread. Crumble the goat cheese over the top and drape strips of prosciutto on the cheese. Broil for about 4 minutes. until the prosciutto starts to brown and the cheese melts. Let cool for 15 minutes. Cut into 8 bars. Sprinkle with pepper and thyme. Serve warm.

FRESH FIG TART

Steps:

• Prepare the crust: In a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream butter and sea salt on medium speed for about 1 minute. Scrape down sides of bowl and paddle with a rubber spatula and add confectioners' sugar. Combine with butter at low speed. Once incorporated, scrape down bowl and paddle. Add almond flour and vanilla extract and combine at low speed.
• Gradually add egg and a quarter of the flour (scant 1/2 cup or 55 grams). Beat at low speed until just incorporated. Scrape down bowl and paddle. Gradually add remaining flour and mix just until dough comes together, stopping from time to time to scrape in any mixture adhering to sides and bottom of bowl. Do not overbeat. Dough should be soft to the touch.
• Separate dough into two equal portions. Gently press each portion into a 1/2-inch-thick rectangle. Double-wrap airtight in plastic wrap. Refrigerate one dough portion for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight; chill or freeze the second portion for another use.
• Very lightly butter a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. (You should not be able to see the butter.) On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to a 10 1/2-inch circle, 1/4 inch thick. Dust work surface and dough often, and work quickly so dough remains cold. Gently roll dough over lightly dusted rolling pin and transfer to pan, gently easing it in and trimming the top edge. Chill uncovered for at least 1 hour, preferably longer.
• Prepare the tart: Heat oven to 325 degrees. Sift together almond flour, confectioners' sugar, cornstarch and flour into a medium bowl.
• Place butter, salt and vanilla and almond extracts in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle and beat 1 minute at medium speed. Scrape down bowl and paddle, and add almond flour mixture. Beat at medium speed for 1 minute, until incorporated. Stop, scrape down bowl and paddle, then turn on machine and gradually add egg. Add rum and beat at medium speed until egg and rum are incorporated.
• Remove tart shell from refrigerator and place on a baking sheet. Using a fork, pierce rows across surface of crust, about 1 inch apart. Scrape almond cream onto crust and, using a small offset or rubber spatula, spread evenly over crust.
• Place in oven and bake 40 minutes, until crust and almond cream are golden brown and the tip of a knife comes out clean when inserted into cream. Remove from oven and let cool for 40 minutes on a rack.
• Using a small spatula, spread fig jam over surface of tart in an even layer.
• Remove stems from figs. Cut small and medium figs into quarters, large figs into sixths or eights. Arrange in concentric circles, starting with the rim, with the stem end down. Slices should angle upwards. If not serving right away, refrigerate. Dust with powdered sugar just before serving.