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.

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.