Whenever I’m home in Seattle, my mom makes a quick tart of some kind, using whatever fruit happens to be in season at the moment. She is tricky, that one, because she specializes in a little sneaky AM baking before anyone else is awake, and before the coffee has even been poured. We grew up with mom-made apple strudel, apple pie, marionberry cobbler, and strawberry-rhubarb pies (up to our eyeballs in the summer months) but now mom makes a simpler, and dare I say, more satisfying tart for pre-breakfast nibbling with coffee in hand.
I tell you, this tart is very simple, not too sweet, and is mostly about the fruit and a handful of sliced almonds over the top. The reason I like mom’s recipe is because it is so very simple and easy. I emailed my mom for the recipe and received: “APRICOTS, SUGAR, ALMONDS” as her reply. With a little more prodding, and another equally brief email, I got the dough recipe: “JOY OF COOKING” and with a phone call the following day, a slightly more detailed version of this very simple recipe. You are welcome dear internet, because here it is, FOR YOU.
Kathleen’s Apricot Tart
*Makes two 6-8 inch tarts
Ingredients:
Dough:
Joy of Cooking Basic Pie Dough Recipe for two 9″ rounds
Filling for one tart:
-1/2 c organic sugar
-1/3 c of raw sliced almonds
-6 to 8 fresh ripe (but still slightly firm) apricots (also delicious: peaches, apricots, nectarines)
-3 TBSP butter, melted (optional)
-Raw sugar for topping (optional)
Directions:
Roll out dough in a circle-ish thin round. No need to be perfect, since you’ll be folding in the edges at a later step.
Pit and slice apricots, and mix in a large bowl with sugar, and butter if you’re going there. Add the apricot mixture in the center of the dough, leaving 2-3 inches around the edge of the dough. Fold the edge of the dough over the filling, making small pleats of dough as you work your way around the tart. Keep it simple! Scatter sliced almonds over the top, with a tablespoon of raw sugar on the edges of the crust. Bake at 450 on a parchment lined baking sheet for 20-30ish minutes or maybe longer (this is where mom got vague on specifics again) …”don’t let it burn, but let it get a little golden.”
Enjoy with coffee, in your pajamas.
This looks great! Can’t wait to try!