Apple tarts
One of the best things I know of to do with apples is make these little tarts. They're a Patricia Wells adaptation of the ones from Poilane in Paris. (That's the real McCoy in the top photo.) As long as you have a round of pate brisee in the freezer they take no time at all. Sometimes I make one big tart, sometimes 4, sometimes 8 little ones....today I am making 6. Because the apples I had were small I used 6 instead of the usual 4. These are Empires, but any tart cooking apple works fine. Peel and cut them in 12ths and saute in half a stick of sweet butter and 1/4 cup of sugar til golden, about 15 minutes. Let cool slightly before assembling. After folding up the edges, brush with beaten egg. I love these new silicone brushes! (Are you wondering how I took the photo?)
As soon as they come out of the oven (about 20 minutes at 425 - a little longer if you like them darker ) sprinkle each tart with a little brown sugar. Here I'm using turbinado, but I think regular light brown sugar works even better. It adds a little crunch.
Dinner is served. The wine is the Delicato chardonnay from Saratoga. I like it very much!
posted by sixty-five at 12:11 AM
6 Comments:
do you bake the tarts on a cookie sheet?
Are the tarts in lieu of a birthday cake? They are gorgeous!
Happy Birthday!
Yes, just a regular cookie sheet. And thanks, supermom!
Happy birthday indeed! Beautiful -- in all ways.
Inspired by your post, I made a big Poiliane apple tart tonight. Yum!
Another recipe to recommend is in the latest _Gourmet_. It is an acorn squash and creamed spinach gratin. You cut the long part of the acorn squash 1/8" thick on a mandoline and layer the slices with the spinach in between as you would noodles for lasagne. The creamed spinach has heavy cream in it as well as garlic, onion, and nutmeg, and there is a light sprinkling of parmesan cheese on the top of it all.
The magazine describes it as a side dish, but it made a great main course with some crusty bread (followed by the apple tart). The kids even ate it willingly. Try it!
Oops, I made a mistake--I am talking about butternut squash (since obviously acorn squash has no "long part" to slice into lasagne-like pieces). Sorry!
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