Gooseberry and Rosewater Tart. Divine.

My UK-based mother-in-law sent me a couple of rectangular tart tins a few weeks ago (thanks to some bemused visiting friends).  I much prefer making rectangular tarts and quiches - they look more aesthetically pleasing than a circular tart, the slices hold together much more easily (thanks to pastry edges on both sides) and they store so efficiently in the fridge.  

But if you don't have a wonderful mother-in-law to update your kitchen stash use a standard 23 cm circular tin for this recipe.  Also you can leave out the rosewater by replacing it with tap water for the pastry and just omitting it altogether for the filling.  Either way this is a fabulous recipe that takes moments to assemble, and tastes divine with any slightly tart berry (but do taste the berries before using them - I wish mine had been a little more sour).

Ingredients

For the Pastry Case

60 g unsalted butter

150 g plain flour

3-4 tbsp rosewater

For the filling

500 g gooseberries

3 tbsp rosewater

40 g caster sugar

40 g ground almonds

100 ml crème fraiche

2 free range egg yolks

Method

1. Make the pastry case.  Rub the butter into the flour, firstly chopping the two together with a knife and then using the tips of your fingers.  When it resembles breadcrumbs, add enough of the rosewater to bring the mixture together.  Again use a knife to mix in the rosewater and then gather it together with your fingers.   Don’t overwork the mixture.  Wrap the pastry in cling film and pop in the fridge for 30 minutes.

2. Preheat the oven to 190C and place a baking sheet in the oven to heat up. Roll out the pastry and use to line a greased tart tin.  I always use a pair of scissors to chop the pastry about an inch from the edges of the tin to allow for shrinkage.  Prick the base all over with a fork and brush with a little of the egg yolk from the filling ingredients. 

Place the shell on the baking tray in the oven for 30 minutes or until just golden.  Remove from the oven and turn down to 180C.  Use a serrated knife to trim the pastry shell edges.

3. Meanwhile mix all the filling ingredients, bar the gooseberries together.  Place the gooseberries in the tart case...

and then pour over the filling.  

Pop the tart back on the baking tray and cook for 40 minutes or until the filling is just set.

Allow to cool for 15 minutes before removing the tart from the tin.