Red Onion and Fig Tarts

You will need 6 loose-bottomed tartlet tins about 8cm wide and 3cm deep.  The pastry is better behaved for being rested in the fridge for 20 minutes before being used to line the tart tins, and less likely to shrink during baking. Take care not to spill the filling over the rim of the tarts as they will stick to the tins. 

Make the pastry: put the flour into a food processor, add the butter and process for a minute or so until you have coarse crumbs. Add the egg yolk and enough water to bring to a firm rollable dough. (I start with 1 tbsp and add a few more drops until I have a manageable dough.)

Remove the dough from the machine, knead very briefly on a floured board, then pat it into a round, wrap in kitchen paper and refrigerate for 20 minutes.

Set the oven at 180C/gas mark 4. 

Peel the onions, slice them thinly into rounds, then let them cook in the butter over a moderate heat, until very soft. Stir them from time to time – they will probably take a good 20 minutes. Give them time to become glossy and slightly jammy. Remove them from the heat. Chop the figs into small pieces, then stir into the onions with the crème fraîche. Beat the egg yolk with a fork then stir into the mixture and season lightly with salt and pepper.

Lightly butter the tart tins and place them on a baking sheet. Roll the pastry out thinly and cut 6 discs roughly 15cm in diameter. Use the discs to fill the tart tins, pushing the pastry gently into the corners. Place a piece of paper in each tart case along with baking beans to prevent the pastry slipping or rising. Bake for 20 minutes, then remove the tray of tart cases from the oven, lift out the paper and beans, then return the cases to the oven for 3 or 4 minutes until dry to the touch.

It is worth carefully loosening the tart cases in their tins so they are easier to remove once filled and baked. Stir the filling, then spoon into the tarts. Bake for a further 30-35 minutes, remove them from the oven and allow to rest for 10 minutes before serving.