Savory Tarts

Call it make-ahead elegance: a walnut crust, prebaked in a 10-inch tart pan, and filled with a savory filling.

1⁄2 cup toasted walnut halves

1 cup all-purpose f lour, plus additional for dusting and rolling

1⁄2 teaspoon salt

1⁄2 stick (4 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter, cut into small chunks

3 to 4 tablespoons very cold water

One of the five fillings (recipes follow)

• First make the crust. Position the rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 375 F.
• Grind the walnuts in a food processor fitted with a chopping blade until coarsely ground— not powdered but also in no way chunky. Add the flour and salt; pulse once or twice to combine.
• Drop in the butter and pulse until incorporated and cut into small pieces. Add the water and pulse until a dough forms.
• Lay a piece of wax paper on the work surface and lightly dust it with flour. Turn the dough out onto it; dust the dough lightly with flour. Roll it until 11 inches in diameter and about 1⁄4 inch thick—you can tell if it’s the right circumference by holding the 10-inch tart pan over it and checking that it’s about 1 inch larger than the circumference of the pan.
• Gently lift the wax paper and crust off the work surface, invert it over a 10-inch tart pan with a removable bottom, and press the crust down into the pan. Peel off the wax paper and continue pressing the crust into the pan, pushing it up the sides about 1 inch and making sure it gets into any fluted edges. Prick the crust many times across the bottom and sides with a fork.
• Bake until lightly browned and firm to the touch, about 35 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and cool at least 30 minutes or up to 4 hours. (Once baked and cooled, the crust can be stored, covered, at room temperature for up to 24 hours.)
• Next, prepare one of these five fillings in the tart shell:

Stilton, Peaches, and Basil
• Arrange 3 peaches, pitted and thinly sliced, across the bottom of the crust. Lay 6 basil leaves over the slices, then sprinkle with 3 ounces crumbled Stilton.

Crab and Pesto
• Sprinkle 15 ounces lump crabmeat, picked over for shell and cartilage, across the tart crust. Dot with 1⁄2 cup Pecan Pesto or Sage Pesto in 1-tablespoon increments, spreading them a bit with a rubber spatula.

Pears and Parmesan Arrange 2 ripe pears, cored and thinly sliced, across the crust, then top with 3 ounces thinly shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano. Drizzle 1 tablespoon honey over the cheese.

Plums and Asiago
• Brush 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard over the tart bottom with a pastry brush. Top with 4 ripe plums, seeded and thinly sliced. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons pine nuts over the tart, then top with 2 ounces grated Asiago.

Caramelized Onions and Bacon
• Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet set over low heat. Add 2 medium onions, thinly sliced, and 1 tablespoon caraway or fennel seeds. Reduce the heat to very low and cook, stirring frequently, until golden and soft, about 30 minutes. Do not let the onions brown. At the same time, fry 4 strips bacon in a nonstick skillet set over medium heat until crispy, about 5 minutes, turning two or three times. Transfer the bacon to a plate lined with paper towels to drain, then crumble into small bits. Mix the crumbled bacon into the onions when they’re finished cooking. Spoon this mixture into the tart shell.

Makes 8 servings (one 10-inch tart)