Strawberry and Rhubarb Tart with Almond Flakes
·Shape the pastry
Roll out the ready-made puff pastry into a round tart tin. The pastry sits on baking paper — leave it underneath and trim the shape with scissors.
Transfer into the tin and prick it
Shape the pastry so the edges are raised as high as possible. Prick the base with a fork. Lay a sheet of baking paper on top and fill it with a generous layer of dried beans, so the pastry doesn't puff up while blind-baking.
Blind-bake with weights
Blind-bake for 20 minutes at 190°C. After this time, remove the baking paper with the beans and bake for a further 10 minutes.
Strawberries and rhubarb
Wash and trim the strawberries, removing the green tops. Peel the rhubarb with a small knife or vegetable peeler. Cut it into small pieces and simmer in a small saucepan with a splash of water and cane sugar until soft.
A touch of thyme
Add the thyme leaves as well. It really only takes a moment for the rhubarb to break down — and that's exactly what you want. Let it cool.
Ricotta filling
Mix the ricotta, softened butter and egg together, beating until you get a smooth mixture. Add the icing sugar and vanilla, and mix again. If you like, you can whip it up using a stand mixer.
Layering
Spread the cooled, blind-baked pastry base with the softened rhubarb. Pour in the ricotta cream, smooth it out, then press the strawberries neatly over the whole surface. Sprinkle with almond flakes.
Bake
Bake again in an oven preheated to 190°C for 30 minutes. Remove the tart from the oven and let it cool completely — this way it will slice much more neatly.
Serving tip
If you don't mind a slightly messier slice, serve the tart warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and whipped cream.