Cooking for Two - Bruce Weinstein [75]
RUSTIC APPLE TART makes one 6-inch tart
A rustic tart is a free-form pie. The crust is laid on a baking sheet and the edges are simply folded over the filling. Use very cold water to make the crust—it will keep the shortening from liquefying into the flour until it’s baked. A little bit of vinegar gives the crust a crisp, cookie-like crunch.
½ cup all-purpose flour, plus additional for dusting the work surface and rolling pin
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon sugar
3 tablespoons solid vegetable shortening
2 tablespoons ice water
¼ teaspoon apple cider vinegar
2 small apples (about 5 ounces each), peeled, cored, and thinly sliced (see Note)
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon Pinch of salt
1. Position the rack in the bottom third of the oven and preheat the oven to 375°F. Mix the flour and 1 tablespoon of the sugar in a medium bowl. Cut in the shortening with a pastry cutter or two forks, until the mixture resembles coarse meal; stir in the ice water and vinegar with a fork, just until a dough forms.
2. Dust a clean, dry work surface with flour, turn the dough out onto it, and press lightly into a small disk. Dust the disk and a rolling pin with flour. Roll the dough into an 8-inch circle, then transfer to a lipped baking sheet, preferably nonstick or one lined with either parchment paper or a silicon baking sheet. Use a wide spatula to transfer the dough; or gently fold it in half to help transport it to the baking sheet, but do not crease it.
3. Spread the apple slices in the middle of the dough circle, mounding them slightly toward the middle and leaving a 1-inch border around the dough’s edges. Sprinkle the remaining 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon of sugar over the apples, as well as the cinnamon and the salt.
4. Gently fold the edges of the dough over the filling, creating a loose, buckling top over the apples but leaving the center hole open.
5. Bake for 45 minutes, or until the crust is lightly browned and the filling is bubbling. Cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet before serving.
NOTE: Do not substitute one large apple. The individual slices will be too large for the small tart.
LEMON MERINGUE TARTLETS makes 2 tarts
For an elegant dessert, try these two little tarts, filled with a streamlined lemon curd, piled high with meringue, and baked until browned. To get the most height out of the meringue, remember these three rules of thumb: 1) the egg white must be at room temperature, 2) the beaters and mixing bowl should be at room temperature and completely dry, and 3) there cannot be one speck of yolk in the egg white.
FOR THE CRUST
½ cup all-purpose flour, plus additional for dusting the work surface and rolling pin
teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons solid vegetable shortening
1 ½ to 2 tablespoons ice water
FOR THE FILLING
1 large egg yolk, lightly beaten, at room temperature
6 tablespoons water
6 tablespoons sugar
2 ½ teaspoons cornstarch
1 ½ tablespoons lemon juice (the juice of 1 small lemon)
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
FOR THE MERINGUE
1 large egg white, at room temperature
teaspoon salt, or less to taste
1 ½ tablespoons sugar
teaspoon vanilla extract
1. Position the rack in the bottom third of the oven and preheat the oven to 425°F.
2. To make the crust, mix the flour and salt in a small bowl. Cut in the shortening with a pastry cutter or two forks, until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir in the ice water with a fork, just until the mixture forms a dough. Dust a clean, dry work surface with flour, divide the dough into two equal balls, and place one on the work surface and the other under a clean kitchen towel to keep moist. Dust the first ball and a rolling pin with flour, then roll the dough into a 6-inch circle. Lay this circle in a 4½-inch tart