Saturday, March 6, 2010

Julie Tribbey's dinner party


The Tribbey family enjoyed Garlands Apple Tart at a recent dinner party in Fountain Hills.

Julie Tribbey writes, "Here is the picture the dinner party I went to Saturday night at the Hatch's. Sorry the picture was cut off. In the picture is Jim Hatch (the cook), his wife Peggy and new member Jan Jensen (seated). Jim also made Roast Pork Tenderloin (p 44) and Mixed Greens with Pears (p 43). The meal was topped-off with Garland's Apple Tart (p 48). All guests raved about these delightful choices from Tastes and Treasures."

Garland's Apple Tart

1 Tart Pastry
3/4 cup all purpose flour
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) cold butter, cut into cubes
1 cup sour cream
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons unbleached all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 egg
4 large or 5 medium Rome, MacIntosh, Jonathon or Granny Smith apples, peeled and sliced 1/4 inch thick

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Roll the pastry 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick on a lightly floured surface. Trim the edge into a large circle. Fold the circle in half gently and place over half of a 10 inch shallow fluted tart pan with a removable bottom. Unfold the dough and press over the bottom and up the side of the pan. Trim the excess dough around the edge, leaving 1/3 inch of the dough above the rim of the pan. Fold the edge down slightly so that it sits on the edge of the pan. Place the pan in the freezer for 5 minutes. Remove the tart shell from the freezer. Line with baking parchment paper or foil and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown, removing the baking parchment paper and pie weights a few minutes before the baking time is over.
Reduce the oven temperature to 375 degrees. Pulse 3/4 cup flour and the brown sugar in a food processor to blend. Add the butter cubes and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Whisk the sour cream, granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons flour, the salt, vanilla, cinnamon and egg in a bowl until very smooth. Add the apple slices and mix gently to coat. Fill the cooled tart crust with the apple mixture just to the rim, spreading the apples evenly. Bake in the lower third of the oven for 20 to 25 minutes or just until the filling begins to set. Remove from the oven and spread the flour mixture evenly and completely over the top. Reduce the oven temperature to 35o degrees. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes or until the tart is a deep golden brown. Cool on a wirre rack for 30 to 60 minutes before serving. Serve with vanilla ice cream.
Note: This tart is also good using pears or peaches.

Tart Pastry
3 cups unbleached all purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons sugar
3/4 cup (1 1/2 stick) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons shortening
1/4 cup cold water
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

Whisk the flour, salt and sugar lightly in a medium bowl to blend. Add the butter and shortening and toss lightly to coat. Cut with a pastry blender until the mixture resembles a very coarse cornmeal. Mix the water and vinegar together. Sprinkle about 3 tablespoons of the vinegar mixture over the flour mixture and toss to blend. Continue adding the vinegar mixture 1 tablespoon at a time, tossing to form a cohesive ball that will hold together when pressed. Divide the dough into two equal portions and shape each portion into a disk. Wrap and chill for at least 2 hours before using or store in the freezer. Makes 2 pastry disks.