Kathy’s Pecan & Pumpkin Tart

This delicious seasonal recipe from Secretts was devised by friend-of-the-farm Kathy Lockett who worked in the farm office for many years. Roasting the pumpkin first gives the finished tart a lovely caramel note.

Ingredients

• 550 grams pumpkin, peeled and cut into small chunks
• 25 grams melted butter
• 1 dessertspoon light muscovado sugar
• 500 grams ready-made shortcrust pastry
• 175 grams light muscovado sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 150 millilitres double cream
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 large pinch of grated nutmeg
• 25 grams pecan nuts

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/Gas Mark 4 and grease a 25cm diameter loose bottom flan tin.
2. Place the pumpkin in a mixing bowl with the butter and 1 dessertspoon sugar and stir with a metal spoon to evenly coat the pumpkin.
3. Tip into a roasting tin and bake until tender (approx 30 minutes) remove from the oven and cool.
4. While the pumpkin is cooking, roll out the pastry on a floured surface and line the tin, surplus pastry can be left and trimmed later. Chill for 30 minutes.
5. Place some baking parchment in the pastry case, fill with baking beans and bake blind for 10 minutes.
6. Remove the paper and beans, trim off any excess pastry and cook for a further 5 minutes.
7. Whilst the pastry is cooking prepare the filling by placing the cooled roasted pumpkin, sugar, cream, eggs and spices into the bowl of a food processor. Process until the mixture is smooth.
8. Pour the filling into the prepared pastry case and place pecans nuts around diameter of the tart face side down.
9. Bake the tart for 35-40 minutes or until the filling is firm to the touch.
10. Remove from the oven and serve warm or cold with a drizzle of cream.