What A Great Time To Be In The Market!

This week at the market I couldn't resists the cheese at Ocello's stall where I purchased a lovely soft cow's milk cheese from Italy called Brillat Savarin. The line of shaved truffle through the centre was a true indulgence.

I also sampled the semi hard cow's milk cheese from Italy called Latteria Vecchio which I bought and bumped alongside these lovely little baby pears.

I found green mangoes and other fresh as fresh can be aromatics at Fiats Thai Produce stall which inspired last night's dinner; yellow chicken and coconut curry with snake beans and Thai eggplant. I also whipped up a green mango salad with frehs mint and coriander.

The passionfruit was so beautiful this week that I decided to make little tarts with creme patissiere topped with passionfruit pulp.

The scent from the stall selling these deep purple bombs of orange and black lava could be smelt a mile away. It transported me back to memories as a kid in my backyard where the whole back fence was covered in this pretty flowered vine.


Shortcrust Tarts with Creme Patissiere and Passionfruit Pulp

Shortcrust Pastry
1 1/2 cups plain flour
125g butter, chopped
1/3 cup caster sugar
1 egg yolk
1 tablespoon chilled water

1. Combine flour, butter and sugar in a food processor. Process until the mix resembles fine bread crumbs. Add yolk and chilled water. Process until dough comes together.
2. Turn dough out onto lightly floured surface and kneed until just smooth. Wrap the dough in cling film and refrigerate for 30mins.
3. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees. Roll the dough out, cut and place in small tart moulds/tins. Bake in the oven for 15mins or until tart cases are golden brown.

Creme Patissiere
3 large egg yolks
1/2 cup white sugar
3 tablespoon cornflour
300ml whole milk
1 vanilla bean pod, slit and scraped

1. In a medium size stainless steel bowl mix the egg yolks and sugar with a wooden spoon. Sift the flour and add to the mixture.
2. Add milk and vanilla bean to the bowl. Mix until thoroughly combined and smooth.
3. Place in a pot on medium heat and bring to the boil stirring constantly. When liquid boils, whisk for a minute or until mixture becomes stiff and hard to stir.
4. Pour into a clean bowl and immediately cover with cling film to prevent a skin forming. Allow to cool.
5. To serve, spoon creme patissiere into tart cases and top with fresh passionfruit pulp.

These beautiful little tarts are available at my Double Bay and Cammeray stores on Sunday. Why not come in for high tea?

Happy cooking,
Simmone x