Country Apple Tart
Tarte Campagnarde aux Pommes
Makes 6 to 8 servings
Ingredients
Crust
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 6 tablespoons butter, cut in chunks
- 1 large egg
Filling
- 2 Golden Delicious or Pink Lady apples (about 1 lb. total)
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons butter, cut in little pieces
Topping
Whipped cream flavored with powdered sugar and vanilla,
or vanilla ice cream
Tools
- Food processor or bowl and fork
- Baking sheet, 15 by 17 inches
- Rolling pin
- Vegetable peeler
- Paring knife
- Narrow spatulas
- Plate
Crust
1. Put 1 cup flour, sugar, and butter in a food processor. Cover and whirl until mixture is crumbly. (Or put flour, sugar, and butter in a bowl; rub with your fingers until crumbly.)
2. Add egg; whirl or stir with a fork until dough holds together in a smooth lump.
3. Dust your hands with a little flour; firmly press dough into a smooth ball. Pat ball to make a disk 4 to 5 inches wide. Lay dough on baking sheet.
4. Rub your hands with more flour and, with the flat of your palm, press the dough to make an evenly thick round about 12 inches wide right up the pan edge. (Or roll dough with a floured rolling pin).
Filling
5. Rinse apples, peel, cut into quarters, and cut out and discard core, stem, and peel. Cut each quarter into 3 or 4 slices.
6. Lay apple slices in an overlapping circle on dough, starting about 1 1/2 inches in from edge of dough round. Continue to lay slices in overlapping circles to the center. Then fit any leftover apples slices into the circle.
7. With your fingers (or short narrow spatula), lift up dough edge and lay it over onto apples. (If dough gets really soft, scrape it up against apples with spatula.)
8. With your hands, press dough against fruit to make a neat rim and give the tart a nice round shape.
9. Mix sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle evenly over fruit and pastry. Dot apples with little butter pieces.
10. Bake tart on the center rack in a 375° oven until pastry is a rich golden brown and apples are tender when you stick them with a knife tip, about 45 minutes.
11. Using hot pads, take pan from oven and set on a heatproof counter. Slide a long narrow spatula under tart to make sure it isn't stuck. Let stand 10 minutes or until cool. Tip pan and slide tart onto a plate. Cut tart into wedges and serve with whipped cream.
Zucchini Soup with Laughing Cow Cheese
Soupe de Courgettes à la Vache Qui Rit
Makes 4 to 6 servings
Ingredients
- 6 zucchini (about 1 3/4 lb. total)
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 4 wedges (3/4 oz. each) Laughing Cow cheese, unwrapped
- Salt and pepper
Tools
- Paring knife
- Cutting board
- Pan, 4 to 5 quarts, with lid
- Spoon
- Blender
- Dishtowel
1. Rinse zucchini; trim off and discard the ends. Cut zucchini in small chunks and put in pan with garlic and 1/2 cup chicken broth.
2. Set pan on high heat and when boiling, cover with a lid, reduce heat, and simmer until zucchini mashes easily when pressed with a spoon, about 15 minutes.
3. Using hot pads, pour zucchini mixture into blender. Add cheese; put lid on blender.
4. Fold a dishtowel to make 3 or 4 layers thick. Put towel on blender lid and hold down tightly. Turn blender on at low speed (on high, the lid may pop and hot liquid spurt out). When mixture is whirling, turn speed to high and whirl until zucchini is very smooth.
5. Add 2 cups remaining broth to blender; cover and whirl. If you want a thinner soup, add the remaining 1/2 cup broth. If soup is hot enough to serve, pour into bowls. If not, return to pan and stir often on medium heat until steaming, 3 to 4 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.
For more information about the "You've Got Recipes" cookbook, visit youvegotrecipes.blogspot.com
