Crayfish in the UK (or at least the ones I can obtain from the supermarket) are really tiny, like small shrimps. The latter could be substituted here. For those that have never made it before, home-made rough puff pastry is easier than you might think. I learned how to make it back in the 80’s by watching a demonstration on TV. I think it was a Delia Smith programme. Please note that the pastry ingredients make enough for two tarts. The filling ingredients are for one tart but can easily be scaled up to make two tarts or one larger tart. One tart will serve 2 to 3 as a starter.
Ingredients
For the pastry (enough for two small tarts):
225g plain flour
½ tsp salt
160g cold butter, cut into small chunks
150ml cold water
Beaten egg, to glaze
For the filling (for one tart):
25g cooked crab
25g ricotta cheese
10g Emmental cheese, finely grated
1 tbsp chopped fresh dill (reserve some to sprinkle)
Pinch of salt
25g cooked crayfish
Method
For the pastry:
Ingredients
For the pastry (enough for two small tarts):
225g plain flour
½ tsp salt
160g cold butter, cut into small chunks
150ml cold water
Beaten egg, to glaze
For the filling (for one tart):
25g cooked crab
25g ricotta cheese
10g Emmental cheese, finely grated
1 tbsp chopped fresh dill (reserve some to sprinkle)
Pinch of salt
25g cooked crayfish
Method
For the pastry:
- Place the flour and salt into a bowl and add the butter chunks. Flick the butter chunks around to coat them in flour.
- Add the cold water very gradually, using a metal spoon to just bring the mixture together. You may not need all the water.
- Turn out onto a floured surface and lightly form into a brick shape. Wrap in cling film and rest in the fridge for 5 minutes.
- Place the chilled dough on a floured surface. Roll out to 1 cm thickness, Fold one third of the dough into the centre, then the other third over.
- Use the rolling pin to make 3 depressions in the dough widthways, one at each end of the dough and the other in the middle. This helps trap air.
- Wrap the dough in cling film and chill it in the fridge for 10 minutes.
- Repeat stages 4 to 6 three times.
- Heat the oven to 180C
- Roll pastry to 1cm thickness and cut a 20 cm x 12cm rectangle.
- Place on a baking tray and score a 2 cm margin around the edge (like picture frame)
- Brush the edges with the egg wash and bake for 10 minutes.
- Remove from oven and lightly push down the area of pastry within the border. Bake for a further 10 minutes.
- Place the crab, ricotta and Emmental cheese, salt and dill into a bowl and mix well. Spread the mixture over the base of the tart and scatter the crayfish over the top.
- Bake for a further 10 minutes. Sprinkle with fresh dill before serving.
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