Crab tart

Serves 4

For the pastry

• 1 small tin Italian plum tomatoes
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 sprig small thyme
• 0 pepper
• 20.5-cm/8-inch cooked pastry case
• 300 ml/½ pint double cream
• 0.5 tsp saffron threads
• 4 egg yolks
• 0 cooked cock crab

• g/2 oz butter
• g/4 oz plain flour
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 pinch salt

Step 1
“The food should not dominate the proceedings.

Step 2
To make the pastry, add the butter to the flour and rub in.

Step 3
Add the egg yolk, the salt and enough water to form a firm dough.

Step 4
Chill for 30 minutes.

Step 5
Preheat the oven to 350ºF/180ºC/gas mark 4.

Step 6
Roll out the pastry as thinly as possible and use to line a 20.5cm/8-inch tart or flan tin.

Step 7
Prick the bottom with a fork and blind bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes or until pale golden brown and cooked through.

Step 8
Put the tomatoes, garlic, herbs and seasoning in a saucepan and reduce to a thickish sauce.

Step 9
Cool, remove the herbs and spread the sauce in the bottom of the pastry case.

Step 10
Warm together 3 tbsp of the cream with the saffron and allow to steep for a few minutes.

Step 11
Beat together the egg yolks and the rest of the cream and add the saffron cream.

Step 12
Season.

Step 13
Loosely fold the crab into the custard and carefully pour into the tart case.

Step 14
Bake in the oven for 30-40 minutes or until set and pale golden brown.

Step 15
Serve warm, rather than hot from the oven.