Happee Monkee

I used the last of the stone fruits mom bought (this is two months ago now) in a late summer fruit tart. This is basically a throw-whatever-you-want-to-get-rid-of-in-your-fridge-tart. Just make sure its civil and edible.

When my mom came to visit, the only place she thoroughly enjoyed herself was at the Queen Victoria Markets. She was in Melbourne for roughly 10 days and in that whole time, she went to the QV markets at least six times. The day before mom was about to fly home, she said she had enough of it. Guess what? She lied. She made me take her back for some last minute shopping. We bought more peaches, more nectarines, more plums; we sat on a bench for lunch, armed with a hot pie each; sharing a latte. I’ve never seen a person more at ease in a market than my mom. This was her happy place.

I love the fresh food markets too. I like to amble around various stalls, curious to see which vegetables or fruits are in season, or on sale. I like to stop and chat to the shop owners and ask them what this or that is for, and what’s the best way to cook it. I like the energy, the aliveness, the sizzle between food and people. It’s what makes food such an experience – from earth to the market, into our baskets and our kitchens, onto our plates and finally, our palates. It is wonderful, no?

Summer Fruit Tart

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• 300g plain flour
• 110g pure icing sugar
• 110g unsalted butter, chilled
• 1 egg
• 3 nectarines
• 3 peaches
• 1 punnet strawberries, halved
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon powder
• 1 tsp grounded clove
• 5 egg yolks
• 100g caster sugar
• 300ml thickened cream

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 190°C.
2. Place flour and icing sugar in a food processor and process to combine.
3. Add butter and process until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
4. Add egg and process until a smooth ball.
5. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
6. Poach stone fruits, bring a saucepan full of water to the boil, add sugar, cinnamon and clove.
7. Place the peaches and nectarines in it, a few at a time for 3 minutes.
8. Carefully peel the skins and cut fruits into half, remove stones and slice fruits thickly.
9. Roll out pastry on a floured surface and use to line a rectangular tart pan with removable base.
10. Line pastry with baking paper and fill with rice or pastry weights.
11. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove paper and weights and return to oven for 10 minutes until crisp and golden.
12. Place poached fruits and strawberries in pastry case.
13. Reduce oven temperature to 170°C.
14. Beat egg yolks and caster sugar in a bowl until combined.
15. Stir in cream, then strain. Pour over fruits.
16. Bake for 30 – 40 minutes or until just set. Set aside to cool.
17. Serve with double cream or vanilla ice cream.

Note: Use eggs at room temperature for baking. Remove from the fridge about 30 minutes before you begin.