1. Preheat oven to moderately hot 415ºF/210ºC. Sift flour into a large mixing bowl; add chopped butter. Using fingertips, rub butter into flour until mixture is fine and crumbly. Add egg yolk, herbs and enough water to mix to a firm dough. Turn onto lightly floured surface, knead gently for 30 seconds or until smooth. Cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate for 20 minutes.

2. Brush a shallow 10x35cm/4x13½inch oblong flan tin with melted butter or oil. Roll out pastry between two sheets of plastic wrap to cover base and sides of tin. Ease pastry into tin; trim.

3. Cut a sheet of greaseproof paper large enough to cover pastry-lined tin. Line tin with paper, spread a layer of dry beans or rice evenly over paper. Bake for 10 minutes, remove from oven and discard paper and beans. Return to oven for 7 minutes or until lightly golden. Cool.

4. Filling: Reduce oven to moderate 350ºF/180ºC. Heat butter in small heavy-based frying pan, cook onion until just soft. Drain on paper towels. Drain the crab meat well, squeezing out excess moisture with paper towels. Spread onion and crab over base of prepared pastry case. Combine eggs, cream and cheese in a medium bowl; mix well. Pour into pastry case, top with dill springs. Bake 30 minutes or until golden and set. Serve hot or cold.