Nisha says: “Dark, sticky and gorgeous, here I’ve taken the classic French tarte tatin on holiday to Greece, with unctuous figs and tangy goat’s cheese (you could even swap in feta if you wanted). Tarte tatin isn’t just a dessert dish, this savoury version makes a delicious light lunch with a lightly dressed tangle of fresh salad leaves/greens.”

Ingredients

1 tsp coriander seeds, cracked
75g butter
1 tbsp red wine or sherry vinegar
75g caster sugar
a good pinch of salt
12 figs, halved lengthways
chopped fresh coriander, to serve

For the pastry:

75g butter, softened
100g goat’s cheese, crumbled
150g plain flour
¼ tsp salt

Method

To make the pastry, beat together the butter and 70g of the goat’s cheese until well mixed and soft. Sift in the flour and salt, and stir until it all begins to come together, adding the water as you go (you may not need it all). Using your hands, gather the pastry up into a ball and knead briefly on a work surface until smooth. Wrap in cling film and chill for 30 minutes.

Toward the end of the chilling time, preheat the oven to 210°C/190°C fan.

Set a heavy 22cm ovenproof frying pan over medium heat. Add the coriander seeds and fry until they become darker in colour and fragrant. Add the butter and let it melt, then stir in the vinegar, sugar and a good pinch of salt, and stir until the sugar has dissolved, then cook to a light caramel.

Arrange the halved figs in the pan, cut-sides down. Let them cook gently over the heat for about 1 minute until softened and beginning to lightly caramelise. While the figs cook, remove the pastry from the refrigerator and roll it out to a circle just larger than the pan. Slide it onto a board and return it to the refrigerator until you are ready to use.

Working quickly, remove the pastry from the refrigerator and place it over the contents of the pan, tucking the edges down the sides. Transfer the pan to the hot oven and bake for about 25 minutes, or until the pastry is crisp and golden.

Let the tart rest in the pan for a few minutes, then slide a knife around the outside of the pan. Invert a plate on top of the pan and, carefully holding plate and pan together, quickly turn it over to flip the tart out. Sprinkle the remaining goat’s cheese over the top and let it melt over the tart and scatter over the fresh coriander. Serve warm.

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