Blue Cheese, Fig & Walnut Filo Tart.
Equipment
- 30cm tart tin, lined with parchment
Ingredients
- 3 banana shallots sliced
- 350 g leaf spinach I used big leaf garden spinach
- 100 g walnuts hold back 30g for the top
- 200 g Dolcelatte (or your favourite creamy blue cheese)
- 300 g filo pastry
- 30 g Parmesan grated
- 100 g creme fraiche
- 200 ml full-fat milk
- 3 large eggs
- Olive oil for sauteeing and brushing
- 2-3 fresh ripe figs sliced
Instructions
- Warm a shallow pan with a splash of olive oil and sauté the sliced shallots until softened. Add the washed spinach with two tablespoons of water, turn the heat up high and cover. After a minute, stir the wilted spinach, then cook off any remaining liquid. Season with salt, pepper and a small handful of picked thyme leaves.
- Line a 30cm round tart tin with parchment. Brush one sheet of filo pastry with olive oil and drape it over one half of the tin, then another sheet over the other side, allowing an overhang. Fold the overhanging pastry back into the pan to create a sturdy edge.
- On your work surface, lay a sheet of filo pastry with the long edge facing you. Brush with olive oil, scatter with a little of the spinach mixture and dot with blue cheese. Lay another filo sheet on top and brush with oil. Using your fingers, roughly fold the pastry into a concertina, then coil it into a spiral, leaving it fairly loose. Transfer this to the centre of your tart tin. Repeat with the remaining filo, working outwards from the centre spiral until the tin is filled. Don’t pack it too tightly – the custard needs space to seep in. Gently tuck the sliced figs between the coils of pastry.
- Whisk together the eggs, crème fraîche and milk until smooth, then stir in the Parmesan. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Slowly pour the custard over the tart, letting it find its way into the gaps.
- Bake at 200°C (180°C fan) for around 45 minutes, until the filo is crisp and golden. Remove from the oven, drizzle with honey and scatter over the remaining chopped walnuts. Serve warm, perhaps with a sharply dressed salad to cut through the richness.
Fig and Blue Cheese Filo Tart – A Celebration of Late Summer Abundance
September calls for a little indulgence. Evenings are drawing in, hedgerows are heavy with dark fruit, and figs are at their peak. Dusky-skinned and perfectly ripe, they are one of late summer’s greatest pleasures. This Fig and Blue Cheese Filo Tart makes the most of them. Sweet figs pair beautifully with salty Dolcelatte and crunchy walnuts, all held in crisp filo with a light custard enriched with crème fraîche..
This tart is a stunning centrepiece for a lazy weekend lunch or a dish to impress friends. It feels decadent yet effortlessly elegant.
Why It Works
Figs are soft and honeyed at this time of year, contrasting wonderfully with the tang of blue cheese. Walnuts add crunch, filo brings lightness, and the savoury custard ties everything together. It’s seasonal cooking at its best: a dish to enjoy while figs are fat and at their peak.
Blue cheese and walnuts are classic partners for figs. Here, creamy Dolcelatte melts into the folds of filo while chopped walnuts add a satisfying crunch. Spinach and shallots provide a green, earthy backdrop, and a light custard of eggs, milk and crème fraîche binds everything together. It’s a marriage of textures: crisp pastry, soft cheese, silky custard, juicy fruit. Sliced Serrano ham (or similar) tucked into the crevices of the filo with the figs, then baked, would also be a lovely addition to the tart, adding a salty, savoury note that complements the sweet fruit.
Tips
- Keep your filo covered with a damp tea towel while assembling to prevent it from drying out.
- Brush each sheet generously with olive oil to ensure crisp, golden layers.
- Scatter extra chopped walnuts on top after baking for crunch.
- Add thin slices of Serrano or prosciutto tucked into the crevices with the figs for a more salty-sweet finish.
- Don’t pack the filo too tightly; the custard needs space to seep into the gaps.
- Serve warm with a fresh salad or lightly dressed greens.
Strawberry and Pistachio Tiramisu
Hi Louise,
This filo tart looks so tasty but I think you’ve forgotton to add the figs into the recipe. did you just slice and dot them around on top before baking? Can’t wait to give it a try.
So I have Tasha, now corrected. yes just sliced, and thank you for letting me know.