1. Sift the flour and salt in a bowl, then add the butter and rub into the flour with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Using a round-bladed knife, stir in the egg and two to four tablespoons of cold water, or enough to bind to a soft but not sticky dough.

2. Turn the dough out on to a surface lightly dusted with extra flour and knead very lightly until smooth. Wrap in cling film and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.

3. Meanwhile preheat the oven to 200C/fan 180C/Gas 6.

4. Place the salmon fillet in an ovenproof dish and top with lemon zest and juice. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the fish flakes easily. Remove from the oven and set aside.

5. Next roll the pastry out on a floured surface to a 35cm (14in) circle, 3mm thick. Line a flan dish with the pastry, using your rolling pin to carefully lift it into place. (Pastry made with spelt is very short, so don’t worry if it cracks, just patch it up.)

6. Press the pastry into the sides of the tin, then trim off any excess and lightly prick the base with a fork.

7. Line the tin with baking parchment and baking beans, place on a baking tray and bake blind for 15 minutes. Remove the paper and beans and bake for a further five minutes or until crisp and lightly golden. Remove from the oven and reduce the heat to 180C/fan 170/Gas 4.

8. In a jug, beat the crème fraîche and eggs together until smooth, then add the watercress, dill, and season with salt and plenty of black pepper.

9. Scatter the flaked salmon into the pastry case, then pour over the egg mixture and smooth the surface. Bake in the preheated oven for 35-40 minutes or until set and golden.

10. Serve with a green salad

About the author

Steve Ott

Steve Ott is editor of Kitchen Garden magazine and started his career as a professional grower, producing everything from cut flowers to vegetables. He has been growing fruit and veg all his life and spends most of his spare time in his garden in the East Midlands. He loves to experiment with crops and varieties he has never grown before and when he isn’t gardening is to be found out in the countryside bird watching and walking his dog Ted.

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