Pistachio Ricotta Tartlets with Poached Apricot

• 180gplain flour
• 100gcold unsalted butter, 90g diced and 10g softened for the tins
• 70gcaster sugar, 30g for the pastry and 40g for poaching
• a pinch of fine salt
• 1medium egg, beaten
• 250gricotta, drained
• 60gshelled unsalted pistachios, 45g finely ground and 15g roughly chopped
• 35gicing sugar
• 1lemon, 2 strips of peel and finely grated zest
• 250mlwater
• 6firm ripe apricots, halved and stoned

Method

1. 1Set a sieve over a bowl, add the ricotta and leave it to drain for 30 minutes until excess whey has dripped away. This keeps the filling thick enough to sit neatly in the shells.
2. 2Rub the flour, 90g butter, 30g caster sugar and salt together with your fingertips until it looks like fine crumbs. Stir in the egg and press into a dough, then flatten into a disc, wrap and chill for 30 minutes until firm.
3. 3While the pastry chills, put the water, remaining 40g caster sugar and lemon peel in a small saucepan. Bring to a gentle simmer, add the apricots cut-side down and poach for 5 minutes until just tender but still holding their shape; cool in the syrup for 20 minutes until room temperature.
4. 4Heat the oven to 190°C/170°C fan. Brush six 10cm loose-bottomed tart tins with the remaining butter, then roll the pastry to a 3mm thickness and line the tins. Prick the bases with a fork and chill for 10 minutes until the pastry feels firm.
5. 5Line each shell with baking paper and baking beans. Bake for 15 minutes until the pastry is dry and lightly coloured, then remove the paper and beans and bake for 8 minutes until golden at the edges.
6. 6Leave the shells in their tins for 15 minutes until no longer hot, then carefully lift them onto a board or cooling rack. Do not fill them warm or the ricotta will loosen.
7. 7Mix the drained ricotta with the ground pistachios, icing sugar and lemon zest until thick and evenly speckled. Lift the apricots from the syrup and pat them dry with kitchen paper.
8. 8Divide the pistachio ricotta between the cooled shells, then arrange two apricot halves on each tartlet. Scatter over the chopped pistachios and chill for 20 minutes until the filling is cold and lightly set.

Per serving

kcal

442

protein

11.2g

fibre

1.9g

carbs

44.3g

fat

24.9g