Rustic is such a helpful word. Much of what I do in the kitchen is rustic: that is, homely, simple, cheerfully imperfect. I make rustic tarts because they’re quick, easy, and delicious, and because they don’t have to be neat and tidy. They have all the goodness of a fancy lattice-crust pie, but none of the fuss. This apricot cherry rustic tart is a good example.
The dough for this tart comes together easily, and is sturdier than an ordinary pie crust. You can make it ahead of time and keep it in the refrigerator for a week, so it will be ready to bake into something wonderful whenever you take the notion.
Apricot Cherry Rustic Tart
For the pastry
- 1 cup (250 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup plus 1 teaspoon (125 grams) granulated sugar
- 9 tablespoons (125 grams) unsalted butter, cut into chunks
- 1 egg
- 1 pinch salt
For the filling
- about 6 large ripe apricots
- 15 or so cherries
- 1/3 cup (50 grams) raw almonds, ground into meal
- scant 1/4 cup (50 grams) granulated sugar
- 1 Tbsp turbinado sugar (or use granulated if you prefer)
First, make the dough. If you are using a food processor, put the flour, sugar, and salt in the machine, and whiz it briefly to mix them well. Add the cubes of butter and the egg, and process about 2 minutes, until the dough comes together. If you’re making this crust without machinery, sift the dry ingredient together, cut in butter, stir in the egg, just until the dough comes together well. Form the dough into a flat round disc, wrap it, and let it rest in the refrigerator at least one hour.
When ready to cook, take the dough out of the refrigerator. Preheat oven to 400°F. Grind the raw almonds into meal using a blender or food processor.
Roll out the dough on parchment paper using a floured rolling pin. Form it into a rough circle about 12 in (30 cm) in diameter. It doesn’t have to be even or perfect. It’s rustic! Move the crust, still on its parchment, to a shallow rimmed baking pan.
Mix together the ground almonds and sugar, and spread this mixture in center of dough, leaving 2 inches (5 cm) around the edge. Wash and cut both apricots and cherries in halves, removing the stones, and place them on the dough.
Sprinkle the fruit with remaining sugar, and fold the edges of the dough over the fruit, pleating where necessary. Bake 30 minutes, until the crust is golden and the filling is bubbling. Let stand at least 20 minutes before serving.
Apricot Cherry Rustic Tart
Ingredients
FOR THE CRUST
- 1 cup all-purpose flour (250 g)
- ½ cup + 1 tsp granulated sugar (125 g)
- 9 Tbsp unsalted butter, very cold, cut into chunks (125 g)
- 1 egg
- pinch salt
FOR THE FILLING
- 5-6 large apricots
- 15 dark cherries
- ⅓ cup raw almonds, ground into meal (50 g)
- scant ¼ cup granulated sugar (50 g)
- 1 Tbsp coarse turbinado sugar
Instructions
MAKE THE PASTRY AND CHILL IT
- If you are using a food processor, put the flour, sugar, and salt in the machine, and whiz it briefly to mix them well. Add the cubes of butter and the egg, and process about 2 minutes, until the dough comes together. If you’re making this crust without machinery, sift the dry ingredient together, cut in butter, stir in the egg, just until the dough comes together well.
- Form the dough into a flat round disc, wrap it, and let it rest in the refrigerator at least one hour.
AT BAKING TIME
- When ready to cook, take the dough out of the refrigerator. Preheat oven to 400°F. Grind the raw almonds into meal using a blender or food processor.
- Roll out the dough on parchment paper using a floured rolling pin. Form it into a rough circle about 12 in (30 cm) in diameter. It doesn’t have to be even or perfect. It’s rustic! Move the crust, still on its parchment, to a shallow rimmed baking pan.
- Mix together the ground almonds and sugar, and spread this mixture in center of dough, leaving 2 inches (5 cm) around the edge.
- Wash and cut both apricots and cherries in halves, removing the stones, and place them on the dough.
- Sprinkle the fruit with remaining sugar, and fold the edges of the dough over the fruit, pleating where necessary.
- Bake 30 minutes, until the crust is golden and the filling is bubbling. Let stand at least 20 minutes before serving.