Strawberry-Pistachio Tart

My, my, my. It has been a while hasn't it? Long-time readers of my blog may notice this photo was taken before I got my fancy camera, so that will give some hint of just how long it's been. And still - still - the colours sing on your screen, don't they? Just imagine how it looks in person.

I just couldn't bring myself to blog about this when it was cold and blustery, however. And now, that the weather has been consistently warm and sunny for at least a couple of weeks my attention has also turned to fruits and pies and summer-time treats.

And while I love baking cakes and cookies from scratch, I like to let fruits speak for themselves when they are in season.

So when I saw this recipe in Martha Stewart's Everyday Food magazine, I knew it ticked off a few boxes - easy, seasonal, and attractive in spite of the first two points (sometimes fruit-based desserts look amateurish and homely).

Also, this recipe called for ready-made puff pastry. Score! I love a pastry that incorporates puff pastry - savoury or sweet.

Instead of slaving in a hot kitchen, you can toss this together quickly, and get out in the fresh air and sunshine.

Substitutions: None. There were only six ingredients total! How can I mess that up? I suppose you can use different nuts but I love the colour contrast between the pistachios and strawberries so I urge you to try finding (fresh) pistachios. If you've had a bag of pistachios in your pantry for a while, taste one before you decide to use it, because it may taste stale.

Would I make this again? Yes I would, but only if strawberries are in season and perfectly ripe as there is no masking a bad batch of strawberries. They'll sink you or save you in this recipe. 

Grade: Four stars out of five. Lovely to look at, a bit difficult to cut into neat portions because of the puff pastry and layer of strawberries, I think this tart appeals to the more sophisticated palate so I'd bring it out with some watermelon at a boozy barbecue that goes late into the evening.