Sunday, October 25, 2009

Rustic Apple Tart

Several weeks ago Randy loaded a big box of apples into the back of my car. They were fresh-picked from Leslie’s parent’s tree (Thanks Jim and Dee!). The box sat in my cool garage until last weekend when I finally had Greg bring it in the house, and I started looking for recipes.

This “Rustic Tart” is one that my good friend Google found for me. I didn’t save the web site, but I want to say it was cooks.com or some such place.

This went together easily and quickly, even though I had to make my dough the “old fashioned” way without a food processor. While baking, I could smell the butter and cinnamon-y apples. Yum.

To further the “rustic-ness” of the tart, I didn’t worry overmuch about fanning my apples in concentric circles. I made a circle, then just filled in the center with a big pile of apples.

The final step of brushing with melted preserves is optional, and I didn’t do that.

rustic apple tart

Doesn’t this look delicious? The crust is flaky and crispy, the apples tender and not overly sweet. It was wonderful served warm, but also good the next morning when I ate it cold for breakfast.

Rustic Apple Tart
Ingredients
  1.. 1 1/2 cups plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
  2.. Pinch of salt
  3.. 1 1/2 sticks (6 ounces) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch
pieces, plus 2 tablespoons melted
  4.. 1/3 cup ice water
  5.. 3 1/2 tablespoons sugar
  6.. 4 large Golden Delicious apples-peeled, cored and cut into
1/4-inch-thick slices
  7.. 2 tablespoons melted and strained apricot preserves
Directions
  1.. In a food processor, pulse 1 1/2 cups of the flour with the salt. Add
the cold butter and process just until the butter is the size of peas, about
5 seconds. Sprinkle the ice water over the mixture and process just until
moistened, about 5 seconds. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work
surface and knead 2 or 3 times, just until it comes together. Pat the dough
into a disk. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the dough into a
16- to 17-inch round about 1/4 inch thick.
  2.. Line a large unrimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Roll the
dough around the rolling pin and unroll it onto the prepared baking sheet.
  3.. In a small bowl, combine 2 tablespoons of the sugar with the remaining
1 tablespoon of flour and sprinkle over the dough. Arrange the apple slices
on top in overlapping concentric circles to within 3 inches of the edge.
Fold the dough over the apples in a free-form fashion. Brush the apples with
the melted butter and sprinkle with the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons of
sugar. Refrigerate the unbaked tart until slightly chilled, about 10
minutes.
  4.. Preheat the oven to 400°. Bake the tart in the center of the oven for
1 hour, or until the apples are tender and golden and the crust is deep
golden and cooked through. Brush the apples with the melted preserves. Slide
the parchment onto a wire rack and let the tart cool slightly before
serving.
Make Ahead
  The baked tart can be stored overnight at room temperature. Reheat in a
325° oven before serving.