This savoury tart is just right for a light lunch-time meal. Start by cooking onions in a large frying pan with butter and sugar, adding vinegar and rosemary once the onions are caramelised. Arrange halved figs, cut side down, in a round baking dish, tipping the onion mixture on top. Roll out puff pastry, cut to the size of the dish and place on top, tucking the pastry edges inside. Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown, cool and invert the tart onto a serving plate. Top with slices of Parma Ham and enjoy! Serves 6 50g (2oz) butter 3 large onions, sliced 2 tsp caster sugar 2 tsp balsamic or red wine vinegar 1 tsp fresh thyme, chopped 3 fresh figs, halved 250g (9oz) ready-to-use puff pastry, thawed if frozen 12 slices Parma Ham Rocket or mixed salad leaves, to garnish
Preheat the oven to 200°C / fan oven 180°C / gas mark 6 Melt 40g (1 ½ oz) of the butter in a large frying pan. Add the onions and cook them over a medium heat until softened – about six to eight minutes. Add the sugar and cook gently until caramelised, then stir in the vinegar and thyme Use the remaining butter to grease a shallow 20cm (8inch) baking tin. Arrange the figs in the base of the tin, cut sides down. Tip the onion mixture over them and level the surface Roll out the puff pastry on a lightly floured surface and trim to a circle measuring 23cm (9inch) in diameter. Lift on top of the onion mixture and tuck the pastry edges down the sides of the tin Bake for 20-25 minutes until risen and golden brown. Cool for about 10 minutes, then run a knife around the edge of the tin and invert the tart onto a serving plate. Serve whilst warm, topped with the slices of Parma Ham and garnished with rocket or mixed salad leaves Cook’s tip: Use finely chopped fresh rosemary as an alternative to thyme. Recipe courtesy of the Parma Ham Consortium