DAILY DINNERS

Whisk the egg whites until just frothy. Put the cheese in a bowl and crush it lightly with a fork, then add the egg whites and crème fraîche and mix to a coarse paste. Season with salt & pepper, then chill.

Roll out the pastry to about 3mm thick. Using a plain or fluted cutter, cut out four 12cm circles. Put them on a baking sheet and prick well all over with a fork to prevent them rising too much in the oven. Carefully spread the cheese mixture over the pastry rounds, leaving a 1-2cm border, then sprinkle with the chopped rosemary and place in the fridge.

Preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/ Gas 6. Melt the butter in a shallow pan, then add the pear slices, sugar and enough water to form a light syrup around the pears - about 3 (4) tbsp. Cook gently for 6-8 mins, until the pears are tender, then leave to cool.

Arrange the pear slices on top of the galettes in neatly overlapping circles and brush with a little melted butter. Sprinkle over the cumin seeds and a few rosemary leaves, season with salt & pepper and bring up the edges of the pastry to form a crust. Brush the pastry all over with the beaten egg yolks and bake for 15-20 mins or until golden. Cool the galettes slightly before serving.

Tips: The galettes can be assembled several hours in advance - or even the night before - and chilled until you are ready to bake them. If you prefer, you can substitute puff pastry for the short crust.