Spanish Summer Tart

Preheat oven to 180°C.

To make pastry, sift flour and a pinch of salt into a bowl or food processor. Make a well in the centre and gradually add butter and egg yolk. Mix together using a flat-bladed knife or process for about 10 seconds in a food processor to form a crumbly mixture. Pour in water and gently mix to form a soft dough. Form into a ball, wrap in cling film and chill in the fridge for 15 minutes.

Roll out pastry on a floured bench. It should cover a long flan tin, preferably one with a removable base. Using the back of a rolling pin, lift pastry into place and thumb in extra pastry around the sides to form a decorative edge. Roll out leftover pastry and cut into strips ready to decorate the top of the tart when filled.

To make filling, heat oil in a frying-pan and stir onion over a moderate heat until soft. Add mince and oregano and cook together for 10–15 minutes until onions are caramelised and beef is crispy in parts.

To fill the pie, layer peppers and beef filling over the pastry, making sure it is evenly distributed. Whisk together sour cream and egg then pour over the filling. Top pie with pastry strips layered in a lattice pattern, as shown, and decorate with tomato halves.

Bake for 25–30 minutes or until filling has set and pastry is golden.

Remove from tin and serve with a green herb salad and crusty bread.

_{Copyright Notice
An extract from Minced with photography by Alan Gillard. Published by Penguin Group NZ. Copyright © Sue Hamilton and Dana Alexander, 2010. RRP $35.00. Available at all good booksellers nationwide.}