Spring Pea, Asparagus and Ham Hock Tart

To make the pastry, combine the flour, cold cubed butter, mustard powder, grated Parmesan, and 1 tsp of fine salt in a large bowl. Rub the ingredients together with your fingertips until the texture resembles fine sand, or pulse briefly in a food processor. Gradually add 4–6 tbsp of cold water, mixing until a soft dough forms. Knead very briefly until smooth, then wrap and set aside.

Roll the pastry out between two sheets of baking parchment until it is approximately 3mm thick. Use it to line a 20cm x 7cm loose-bottomed springform tin, ensuring the pastry reaches about 1.5cm above the rim. Crimp the excess pastry around the edge with your fingers. Chill the pastry case in the refrigerator for at least 90 minutes, or ideally overnight.

While the pastry chills, prepare the vegetables. Blanch the peas and halved asparagus in a pan of boiling water for 3 minutes (or 2 minutes if using defrosted peas). Immediately transfer them to a bowl of ice-cold water to preserve their vibrant color and stop the cooking. After 2 minutes, drain thoroughly and set aside.

Preheat your oven to 200°C (180°C fan/gas 6). Prick the base of the chilled pastry case with a fork. Line the case with scrunched-up baking parchment and fill to the top with baking beans or dry rice. Blind bake for 15 minutes, then remove the beans and parchment and bake for another 10–15 minutes until the base is golden and dry. Allow to cool slightly.