Fig And Apple Phyllo Tart Recipes

PHYLLO PASTRY WITH FRESH FIGS AND RICOTTA

Steps:

• In a mixing bowl, combine ricotta, lemon zest and juice, almond extract and sugar. Stir well and set aside.
• Lay 1 sheet phyllo dough horizontally on a flat surface. Brush lightly with butter. Fold phyllo in half, left to right, and brush the top lightly with butter. Then fold phyllo in half, top to bottom, and brush the top lightly with butter again. Fold once more, left to right. You should have a 4-by-6-inch rectangle. Brush top with butter and trim edges. Repeat with remaining 5 sheets phyllo, using 2 tablespoons butter per pastry. Lay pastry packages on a parchment-lined baking sheet and heat oven to 375 degrees.
• Spread each pastry package with a generous tablespoon of ricotta filling. Snip stems from figs and open them into star shapes by cutting from stem end in quarters, nearly to the bottom of the fig. Top each pastry package with 2 figs. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon sugar over each package.
• Bake for 15 minutes or until golden and crisp. Remove from oven, sprinkle with chopped almonds and drizzle lightly with honey. Serve at room temperature. If desired, cut pastries in half to make 12 small servings.

FIG AND APPLE PHYLLO TART

Steps:

• Remove any stems from figs. In a saucepan combine figs with remaining filling ingredients and simmer, covered, 20 minutes, or until very tender. Transfer mixture to a food processor and blend until smooth.
• Brush a 9-inch-square or 10-inch round tart pan with a removable fluted rim with some butter. On a work surface arrange 1 sheet phyllo with a short side facing you and brush with some butter, On it layer 3 more sheets phyllo and more butter in same manner and line pan, pressing phyllo into pan with fingertips and leaving short sides overhanging.
• Repeat layering procedure with remaining phyllo and some of remaining butter and arrange in pan at a 90-degree angle to the first lining, easing to fit. Put pan on a baking sheet and roll overhanging edges under loosely (outside the pan) to form a decorative edge. Brush edge with remaining butter and spread fig mixture evenly on bottom.
• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Peel, quarter, and core apples and cut each quarter in 3 or 4 wedges. Arrange apple wedges over fig mixture in decorative pattern and sprinkle with granulated sugar. Bake tart in middle of oven 40 minutes.
• In a small bowl stir together yogurt and egg.
• Remove tart from oven and increase oven temperature to 475°F. Pour yogurt mixture over apples and cover edge of tart with foil. Return tart to oven and bake 15 minutes, or until apples begin to brown. Cool tart in pan on a rack 30 minutes and sprinkle with almonds and confectioners' sugar.