Jacques Pepin Rustic Apple Tart Recipes

RUSTIC APPLE TART

Steps:

• In a food processor, pulse 1 1/2 cups of the flour with the salt. Add the cold butter and process just until the butter is the size of peas, about 5 seconds. Sprinkle the ice water over the mixture and process just until moistened, about 5 seconds. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and knead 2 or 3 times, just until it comes together. Pat the dough into a disk. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the dough into a 16- to 17-inch round about 1/4 inch thick. Line a large unrimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Roll the dough around the rolling pin and unroll it onto the prepared baking sheet. In a small bowl, combine 2 tablespoons of the sugar with the remaining 1 tablespoon of flour and sprinkle over the dough. Arrange the apple slices on top in overlapping concentric circles to within 3 inches of the edge. Fold the dough over the apples in a free-form fashion. Brush the apples with the melted butter and sprinkle with the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons of sugar. Refrigerate the unbaked tart until slightly chilled, about 10 minutes. Preheat the oven to 400°. Bake the tart in the center of the oven for 1 hour, or until the apples are tender and golden and the crust is deep golden and cooked through. Brush the apples with the melted preserves. Slide the parchment onto a wire rack and let the tart cool slightly before serving. MAKE AHEAD The baked tart can be stored overnight at room temperature. Reheat in a 325° oven before serving.

OPEN-FACED RUSTIC APPLE TART

Steps:

• To make the crust: Combine 2 cups of the flour with the salt and confectioners' sugar in the work bowl of a food processor. Pulse a few times to blend. Add the butter, and pulse about 20 times, or until the butter is the size of small peas. Add the egg, pulse to blend, and add enough of the water (a little at a time, pulsing between each addition) for the crust to stay together when you squeeze a handful of dough. Wrap the dough in plastic and chill in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. To make the filling: Mix the apple slices with the lemon juice, and set aside. Mix the remaining 1/4 cup flour with the sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Add half of the flour-sugar mixture to the apples, and stir gently to combine ingredients. Roll the dough out into a large 1/4-inch-thick round. Sprinkle the remaining half of the flour-sugar mixture over all except the outside 2 inches of the dough. Place the apple slices over the flour-sugar mixture in concentric circles, overlapping the slices and leaving about 2 inches of empty crust around the edge of the apples. Using your hands, fold the edge of the crust over the apples, overlapping the folds slightly and pressing the crust together with your hands where the crust overlaps. Place the remaining tablespoon of butter cubes over the top of the uncovered apples. Bake the tart for 35 to 45 minutes, until crust and apples are light golden brown and the apples are somewhat tender. Before serving, dust the tart with confectioners' sugar.

QUICK PEAR TART BY JACQUES PEPIN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees Farenheit. Put about 1Tbsp. butter on a sheet pan (I lined the sheet pan with nonstick aluminum foil first-worked great!). Put pan in preheated oven and melt butter. Thinly slice a pear that you've cored. Take pan with melted butter out of oven, put tortilla on butter, then flip over so bottom is greased. Put sliced pear on the tortilla, dot about a teaspoon butter on pear in little bits, sprinkle a little sugar on pear. Bake in preheated oven for about 10 minutes, until the pear is cooked through and the tortilla is lightly browned around the edges. Remove from oven, cut into wedges and enjoy while still warm.