Serves 4

Ingredients
375g shortcrust pastry
1 tbsp flour
25g butter
100g onions
250g fresh crab meat
200ml single cream
3 egg yolks
20g pack fresh coriander, chopped
grated lemon zest

Method

Preheat the oven to 200°C, Gas Mark 6. Unroll the pastry on a lightly floured surface and gently roll out with a rolling pin to make a larger and thinner pastry tart.

Cut into four smaller rounds and use these to line 4 x 10cm wide (4cm deep) individual fluted tart tins, gently pressing the pastry into the base and sides. Prick the bases with a fork and chill for 20 minutes.

Line each tartlet with baking parchment and fill with dried beans or rice grains to weigh down the pastry when it is being part-cooked and stop it from rising. Bake the pastry shell on a baking tray for 15 minutes until very lightly golden.

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a frying pan and gently sauté the onions and the crab meat with some chopped basil. Mix the cream and egg yolks together with coriander and lemon zest. Season to taste.

Remove the paper and beans from the pastry shells and spoon the crab mixture into the tarts. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until very lightly golden and the top of the filling has set.

Joe Vella is an Executive chef, Hilton Malta.

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