Ingredients

• 175g/6oz plain flour
• plus extra for dusting
• 100g/3½oz cold butter
• cubed
• 1 free-range egg
• beaten
• 30g/1oz walnuts
• roughly chopped
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tbsp oil
• 500g/1lb 2oz banana shallots
• thinly sliced
• 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 tbsp light muscovado sugar
• 300g/10½oz soft goats' cheese
• 2 free-range eggs
• beaten
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6. Put a large baking tray in the oven to heat up.
• To make the pastry
• put the flour
• butter and a little salt into a food processor and pulse until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Alternatively
• place in a mixing bowl and rub the butter into the flour using your fingertips. Add the beaten egg and a tablespoon water and mix until a ball of dough is formed.
• Lightly flour a work surface and roll out the dough thinly (about 3mm/â…›in thick). Sprinkle the chopped walnuts over the pastry. Cover with cling film and roll over the cling film to press the nuts into the pastry. Cut out 8 large circles using a pastry cutter or saucer as a guide and line the Yorkshire pudding tins. Place in the fridge to chill while you make the filling.
• Heat the oil in a lidded frying pan
• add the shallots and cook over a high heat for 2 minutes
• stirring frequently. Lower the heat
• cover and cook for 10 minutes until soft. Add the vinegar and sugar and cook for 15 minutes
• stirring every now and then
• until the shallots are dark brown and caramelised. Set aside to cool.
• Put the goats' cheese
• beaten eggs and half the parsley in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper and mix until smooth.
• Prick the bases of the chilled tart cases all over with a fork
• then spoon in the shallot mixture. Pour the goats' cheese mixture over the shallots.
• Slide the tins onto the hot baking sheet and cook for 20 minutes
• or until the pastry is crisp and the filling is just set and golden-brown. Sprinkle with the remaining chopped parsley and serve warm or cold.