Served as a whole tart, this is a real centrepiece, full of flavour and colour. Gurnard is a great alternative for red mullet and is, perhaps, more plentiful and offers greater value. This tart can also be made without any fish – just add more olives and basil.
Serves 4
500g all-butter puff pastry, defrosted if frozen
plain white flour for rolling out the pastry and dusting the fish
6–8 plum tomatoes, with a small X cut in the top of each
2 teaspoons thyme leaves
1 teaspoon sugar
½ teaspoon sea salt flakes, plus extra for sprinkling
handful of basil leaves
olive oil
4 large gurnard fillets, or 8 smaller ones, total weight about 800g
For the tapenade
115g stoned black olives
25g salted anchovy fillets
2 tablespoons capers in brine, drained
3 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 garlic cloves, crushed
130ml extra virgin olive oil
Roll the puff pastry out on a lightly floured surface into a rectangle about 25 x 12cm. Transfer the pastry to a sheet of baking parchment on a baking sheet. Cover with clingfilm and leave in the fridge for at least 1 hour or up to 6 hours.
Meanwhile, make the tapenade. Put the black olives, anchovies, capers, Parmesan cheese and garlic in a food processor and process to break down. Add the olive oil and blend again to make a thick purée. Leave to one side until needed.
When ready to bake the tart, preheat the oven to 200°C/Gas Mark 6. Place the baking sheet in the oven and bake the pastry for 15–20 minutes until it is crisp and golden brown. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and carefully transfer the pastry to a wire rack to cool.
Meanwhile, bring a saucepan of water to the boil and put a bowl of iced water in the sink. Add the tomatoes and boil for 10 seconds, then immediately drain and put them in the iced water to stop the cooking. Drain the tomatoes again and use a small knife to peel off the skins.
Cut the tomatoes into ½cm slices and lay them on a non-metallic tray. Season with the thyme leaves, sugar and sea salt flakes, then leave for 15–20 minutes, until they soften. Transfer to a clean tea towel and leave to dry.
Reheat the oven to 190°C/Gas Mark 5. Spread a layer of tapenade over the base of the puff pastry tart case, leaving a border on all sides. Layer the tomatoes on top, placing a basil leaf between each slice. Drizzle the tart with olive oil and return to the oven for 5–8 minutes to warm through
While the tart is in the oven, heat 4 tablespoons olive oil in a large non-stick frying pan over a medium heat. Dust the gurnard fillets in flour, shaking off the excess. Place them in the oil, skin sides down, and fry for 7–8 minutes until not quite cooked through.
Remove the tart from the oven and place the gurnard fillets on top. Sprinkle with sea salt flakes, then return to the oven for a further 1–2 minutes until the fish is cooked through, the flesh flakes easily and the pastry is hot.
Remove the tart from the oven, drizzle with a little more olive oil and add a few fresh basil leaves. Sprinkle with sea salt flakes and it’s ready to serve.