Ingredients

• a little plain flour
• for dusting
• 320g pack shortcrust pastry
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 3 free-range eggs
• plus 2 egg yolks
• 425ml/15fl oz double cream
• pinch freshly grated nutmeg
• 3 dressed crabs or 450g/1lb white crab meat
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 bunches spring onions
• thinly sliced
• 40g/1½oz freshly grated Parmesan
• 2 ripe avocados
• flesh only
• cut into chunky dice
• 75ml/3fl oz olive oil
• 2 limes
• juice only
• 3 tomatoes
• skinned
• deseeded and finely diced
• 2 garlic cloves
• finely chopped
• 2 shallots
• chopped
• 1 red chilli
• deseeded and very finely chopped
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4.
• Lightly dust a work surface with flour. Roll out the pastry to the thickness of a pound coin
• to line a 23cm/9in diameter
• 4cm/1½in deep tart tin. Prick the base with a fork but do not trim the pastry.
• Cover the pastry with baking paper
• fill with baking beans and bake ‘blind’ for 30 minutes
• or until it just starts to colour.
• Carefully remove the baking beans and paper. (If there are cracks
• use leftover pastry or beaten egg to fill them.) Return the pastry case to the oven for 5 minutes. Leave to cool on a baking tray. Trim the pastry.
• For the custard
• put the eggs
• yolks and cream in a bowl and whisk gently
• adding a pinch of nutmeg
• salt and pepper. Sieve the custard into a pouring jug.
• If using dressed crabs
• separate the crab meat with your fingers and remove any shell. Flake the white meat and set aside
• then spread the dark meat over the pastry case. If using only white meat
• spread half of it over the pastry case.
• Heat the oil in a frying pan
• then quickly fry the spring onions until just softened. Add them to the pastry case.
• Stir the white crab meat and Parmesan into the custard
• lightly season
• then carefully pour it on to the spring onions.
• Bake the tart in the centre of the oven for 50 minutes
• or until the filling is just set. Leave to cool for a few minutes before serving.
• For the guacamole
• in a bowl mix all the ingredients well and season. If making in advance
• cover the surface tightly with a layer of cling film
• then cover the bowl with another layer of cling film and set aside.
• Serve slices of the tart with the guacamole in a serving bowl.