Our strawberry plants grow a range of sizes some of which aren’t the right size or texture for eating as a snack because they’re too small or too big so I use them up in this simple and delicious tart. The sweetness of the strawberries and the slight tartness of the rhubarb are great friends and made sublime with a glug of custard or single cream. I’m to inept to make pastry in the week so I use pre-made but if you have the skills to make your own pastry then I salute you.
INGREDIENTS
400g strawberries
300g rhubarb
5 tbsp cornstarch
75g caster sugar (more for dusting)
2 lemons
milk for brushing
butter for the tin
- Pre-heat the oven to 190°C (170°C Fan). Cut the rhubarb into thirds and remove the stalks from the strawberries. Cut the bigger strawberries in half and leave the smaller ones whole. Put all the fruit into a mixing bowl then sprinkle over the cornstarch and squeeze in the juice of two lemons. Mix with a metal spoon then leave until the blind baking is done.
- Butter a spring bottom tart tin then lay 3/4 of the pastry over and gently press into the tin. Prick the bottom all over with a fork. Scrunch up a piece of greaseproof paper (I use the piece included in the pre-made pastry) then flatten it out and place over the pastry before pouring over the ceramic beans. Pop the tin into the hot oven and blind bake for 10 minutes.
- Remove the ceramic beans and paper then arrange the rhubarb and strawberries neatly in the pastry case. Sprinkle the sugar over all the fruit. Cut the remaining 1/4 of the pastry into strips then crisscross over the top of the tart. Brush the strips with a little milk then sprinkle with some extra sugar. Cover the edges of the pie with foil to protect from burning then place back in the oven for 35-40 minutes until the pastry is completely cooked and the fruit is soft.
- Allow to cool for 2 minutes before pushing the tart up and out of the tin then leave on a cooling rack for 5 minutes before serving with cream or custard.
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