Fresh Fig, Thyme & Goats Feta Tart with Balsamic Drizzle

On Tuesday I received a call from Oscar's kindy, he was sick and running a high temperature, he needed to come home. So all my food blogging, toilet cleaning, coffee drinking plans went on hold and out came the tissues and baby Panadol.

I have fond memories of being well cared for during periods of illness as a kid. I felt swathed in love. My many menial requests were tended to with patience and care (something I'm still working on replicating). Subsequently I dote on my son when he's streaming boogers, crotchety and highly contagious. I have a new-found respect for my Mother's ability to hide all revulsion/irritability whilst collecting my used tissues and putting up with my demands for home cooked meals, which I inevitably wouldn't eat because everything tasted funny. Sorry Mum!

Caring for a kid that "can't stop the cough-ers" is time consuming and exhausting which is why this recipe was perfect for dinner. I set my son up on the lounge with a blanket, pillow and warm honey milk to watch Pinocchio for the umpteenth time whilst I set to work on the tart.

Clotilde from Chocolate & Zucchini had recently posted a recipe for Rough Puff Pastry which I was desperate to try. The claims of it being life-changing are true. The layers are delicate, crisp and melt in your mouth but the best part is that it is so deceptively easy. You know how sometimes people claim a recipe is "so easy" but yet it takes four hours of your time, Italian Nonna biceps, and bomb-diffuser concentration? This is not that kind of easy. This is: I put my pants on backwards, haven't slept in two days, my fridge is bare kind of easy. But if you just really can't be bothered, store-bought puff pastry will be just fine. It's cool, we can still be backwards pants wearing friends.

Fresh Fig, Thyme & Goats Feta Tart with Balsamic Drizzle

Recipe by A Rhubarb Rhapsody
Total time: 45 minutes
Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

• 325g (11 1/2 ounces) puff pastry, I used this recipe but store bought is fine 
• 4-5 ripe, fresh figs, sliced into fine wedges 
• 6 sprigs of thyme (plus more for garnish) 
• 1 large brown onion 
• 2 tablespoons of butter 
• 1 block of goats feta (about 180g/6oz) 
• 1 large egg 

• Egg wash (1 egg whisked with 1 teaspoon of water) 

• 3 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar 
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar 
• 1 tablespoon water 

Cooking Directions 

1. Preheat oven to 185°C/365°F. Line a large baking tray with greaseproof paper and set aside.
2. Finely slice the onion. Melt the butter in a small pot, add onion and thyme and cook over low-medium heat until the onions soften and become translucent. Discard the thyme. 

3. While the onion is cooking, cut the goats feta into chunks and place it along with the egg in a food processor. Season with freshly cracked pepper. Process until well combined and smooth.
4. Roll your pastry out to form a roughly 30cm rectangle, fold the edges over (about 1cm) to frame the tart and press with a fork. Brush the edges with egg wash.
5. Spread the goats feta mixture over the pastry (except for the 'frame'). Top with onion. Carefully layer sliced figs on the very top.
6. Bake for about 25 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown. While the tart is baking place the balsamic vinegar, brown sugar and water in the small put you used to cook the onion. Cook over medium heat, stirring often until it begins to boil. Turn off the heat. It should thicken on cooling.

Serve the tart warm, garnished with fresh thyme and drizzled with the balsamic glaze.