Fig, walnut and pistachio crostata

Making pastry is something I love to do, and this is my walnut version, encasing fresh quartered figs, pistachio and vanilla, served with thick cream. This recipe makes two small tarts but you could make one big one.

Credit: Danielle Abou Karam

• serves

  6

• prep

  20 minutes

• cook

  25 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• 55 g (¼ cup) caster sugar
• 100 g pistachios, lightly toasted, finely chopped
• 40 g butter, softened
• 1 egg yolk
• 2 tsp vanilla bean paste
• 6-8 fresh figs, quartered
• 1 tbsp white sugar (coarse granulated, not caster)
• thick cream, ice-cream or yoghurt, to serve
• salted caramel sauce, to serve, optional

Walnut pastry

• 90 g (1¼ cups) plain flour
• 30 g (¼ cup) walnuts
• 55 g (⅓ cup) caster sugar
• 100 g cold unsalted butter, chopped
• 2 tbsp chilled water

Chilling time: 20 minutes

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 220°C and place 2 baking trays in the oven to preheat.
2. For the pastry, place the flour, walnuts, sugar and butter in a food processor. Pulse until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add the chilled water and process just until the pastry comes together, adding a little more water if necessary. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead gently until the underside is smooth. Cut in half, then shape both halves into rectangles. If it’s a warm day, wrap in baking paper and refrigerate for 15-20 minutes or until firm enough to roll out.
3. Roll out each piece of pastry on a sheet of baking paper into a 14 cm x 26 cm rectangle. Place in the refrigerator while you make the filling.
4. For the filling, place the caster sugar, nuts, butter, egg yolk and vanilla in a bowl and stir until very well combined. Carefully spread half the filling over each pastry leaving a 1-cm border around the border. Place the figs over the top in a single layer.
5. Fold the pastry over the figs, leaving half the fruit exposed. Brush the top of the pastry with water and sprinkle over the white sugar. Using the baking paper, lift the crostata onto the preheated baking trays and bake for 20-25 minutes or until the pastry is golden and crisp. Set aside to cool slightly for 10 minutes.
6. Serve topped with cream and drizzled with salted caramel sauce if desired.

 

Photography by Danielle Abou Karam.

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Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.