I didn't always love cooking. I grew up with a mother who was raised an army brat, on an army base in Honolulu. She thought SPAM was a delicacy. So, the art of cooking has been a whole new adventure for me. Come join me on this crazy but interesting foray into the Wonderful World of Cooking. I don't always nail my dish, but I promise to never use Spam. Ever.
Peaches are at the height of their flavor right now, so we've been making the most of it. It's well known by all our friends that Mr. Snooty is a total peach hound, so I made him this lovely treat on his birthday and he couldn't seem to get enough. Well, he did eat eat the entire thing...
This recipe is so easy that it will make you weep for the sheer joy of its simplicity. Some things simply cannot be improved upon.
Rustic Peach Tart:Ingredients:For Tart Crust:
1/2 cup of all-purpose flour (with a little extra for rolling out dough)
1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons of cold butter, in small pieces
1/3 cup of ice cold water (and more, if needed)
4 - 6 peaches
1 teaspoon of sugar
1 teaspoon of fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup of slivered almonds, toasted
For The Glaze:
1 Tablespoon of butter
1 Tablespoon of Apricot Marmalade (other other marmalade)
1 Tablespoon of sugar
Directions:For the tart, whisk together all-purpose flour, whole wheat pastry flour and salt in a medium mixing bowl. Gently incorporate butter with your hands or a pastry blender, leaving some pea-sized pieces. Drizzle water over top of flour-butter mixture, a tablespoon at a time, and work until dough comes together in a ball. Press dough into a disk and refrigerate for 15 minutes.Meanwhile, to peel the peaches, bring a pot of water to a boil. Add peaches and cook for 10 to 30 seconds, depending on the fruit's ripeness. Transfer peaches to a bowl of cold water to stop the cooking. Peel the peaches--the skins should slip right off. Halve them and remove the pits. Slice peaches thinly and toss them with sugar and lemon juice.
Preheat oven to 425°F. Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface into a circular shape about 1/8-inch thick. Gently transfer dough to a baking sheet by folding it into quarters. Unfold dough and sprinkle almonds over it, leaving a 2-inch border around the edges. Pile peaches on top of almonds, then fold edges of dough up over fruit.
To make the glaze, heat butter and apricot preserves in a small saucepan until just melted, stirring to combine. Brush dough with mixture and drizzle remaining over the fruit. Sprinkle pastry and fruit with sugar. Bake for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350°F and bake 20 to 25 minutes longer, until dough is golden brown and fruit juices are bubbling. Allow to cool 10 minutes before serving.