July is full of fruit that needs to be tasted, used and enjoyed! Since there is so much to choose from, I have come up with a versatile recipe that can be used with any local fruit that’s available as the seasons change! I’ve worked with several pastry combinations and have come up with a flaky dough that is substantial enough to hold the fruit and juices during the baking process. The ingredient list is simple and the process easy!
For the Pastry:
3 cups All-Purpose Flour
1/2 cup Sugar
1 cup salty butter or margarine softened
1/2 cup milk or cream
In a medium-size bowl, using a pastry cutter/blender or fork if you don’t have one, work the butter/margarine, flour and sugar together until it is starts to resemble a uniform crumbly look. Add the milk/cream and work it through with the pastry cutter and then with a rubber spatula, if need be. This does not take long and the dough should look the same: not too sticky and not too dry.
Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and work with your hands until you have a nice ball. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for about 15 minutes.
Take a regular baking sheet and cover with a strip of parchment paper so that the baking sheet surface is covered. Sprinkle a light dusting of flour on the middle of the parchment and turn the dough onto the floured area. With a small rolling pin, work from the centre out and roll until you have an even oval or rectangular piece. This is rustic! It’s beauty is that it is not a uniform and perfectly measured shape like a pie. Once you have rolled out the piece of dough, place it back into your fridge while you assemble your fruit filling. Do not cover the dough. It won’t be in the fridge long enough.
For this filling, you will need 4 cups of fresh fruit. For the rustic tart featured, I used local peaches, peeled and cut, along with some blueberries for just a little variation.
4 cups of fruit
1 tsp. lemon juice
1 cup brown sugar
2 tbsp flour
Assemble the cut fruit and drizzle lemon juice over top. Add the sugar and flour and gently fold together, trying not to damage the fruit as you are mixing it.
Remove the pastry from the fridge. Sprinkle a bit of flour in the centre of the pastry where the fruit will be placed. Spoon the fruit onto the middle, making sure it is fairly evenly placed and spread it out. Do not go to the edges, leaving ample room as you will be folding up the dough yet.
Now take the sides and pull them up, folding the ragged edges in a bit and then “pleating” the edges to give it a bit of a nicer, clean edge. The edges should come up about 2″ depending on how much dough you have. It is important to keep the sides uniform though because you don’t want to have one side with a lot of edging and then the other with very little.
Crack one egg into a small bowl and mix with a fork so the yolk and egg white are farily combined. Brush the edges of the dough liberally, almost painting it with the egg wash. Then sprinkle sugar on the egg so that it adheres. This will form a crust as it bakes. If the egg wash drips down the sides a bit, that’s fine. It will crystalize as it bakes.
Bake 350 degrees Fahrenheit on middle rack for 30-40 minutes or until the fruit in the middle has started bubbling, which may take longer.
If you serve it once the fruit is cold and set, it is easier to cut (above). If you serve it while it’s warm, the fruit can be a bit runny but a scoop of ice cream melts beautifully!
As always, enjoy your creation and be sure to share it with family and friends!
Lolita
Lolita Bakes! 