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Thursday, November 5, 2009

Hey! Who You Calling A Tart?

Here we have them -- The Gang of Four.
Four un-loved apples, rescued from the refrigerator crisper,
and looking slightly the worse for not being fresh off the tree.

Some apples are beautiful.

Some, as you see, are not.

We're going to take these round little sows' ears and turn them into lovely silk purses.

But since no one really wants to eat a silk purse, especially one made from pig ears,
we will make an Apple Tart instead.

Let's begin:


My Mom taught me to slice my raw apples directly into the pie plate, before putting in the crust,
to make sure I had enough filling because it cooks down so much.

We're not doing that today. We'll just eyeball the quantity of apples needed.
As it turns out, we only need to execute 3 of them. The 4th is given a reprieve by the Governor.


This is the hardest part of making an Apple Tart. No, not hardest. Most tedious. Why can't apples peel and slice themselves when you want them to? Probably for the same reasons that nice clean dishes won't hop out of the dishwasher and put themselves away.

Wouldn't that be cool? I'd buy dishes that could do that, and sell all my others on Ebay.

Okay, next!

Sugar the apples. You have to taste them to see how much sugar you need.
Me, I like a tart tart. Get it? Tart tart? I crack myself up.

Then pile on the cinnamon. Again, your choice.
Less cinnamon than sugar.

Finally, a bit of flour to thicken the juices. Use your judgment.
More flour if the apples are very juicy.


Toss in a pinch of salt, with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice if the apples are very sweet.
Take your crust -- confession: I used a refrigerated crust for this --
so it was simply a matter of patting it into place on the baking sheet.

Dump your nicely spiced and sugared apples onto the middle of the dough, and then
take the edges of the dough and pull them up over the apples,
pinching as you go to keep the dough tight around the filling.

You leave the center nekkid of crust.


Now, into a 375-degree oven. Baking is magic.
It will take about 45 minutes to get the tart nice and browned.
But watch it! Ovens and apples vary wildly.

While it bakes -- a disclaimer.  This pastry is more accurately called a galette.  Not a tart.
But tart is just so much funnier, don't you think?
Okay, we now return to our regularly scheduled program, and the tart is out of the oven.


I use a stoneware baking sheet to crisp up the dough:


It's no great beauty, but it will be warm and juicy and delicious.

See?


Okay, one piece gone. Who is next?



Don't forget to visit Designs By Gollum
for more Foodie Friday posts.

That's an order, or No Tart For You!

Thanks, Michael, for hosting. Now, I think I'll see what I can do with a couple of past-their-prime pears. . . . -- Cass

P.S. Mr. Dion DiPoochy appreciates all the nice comments he has gotten from people who tell him he is cute; he is basking in the attention. He insisted on being a part of this post. He thinks this means he will also get a piece of Apple Tart. He is mistaken in this. But that's all right; he will just go back to sleep on his Wally Bed, next to my desk and right next to the steam radiator. Doggy heaven.

27 comments:

  1. Mmmmm apple tart, it looks delicious!

    What a handsome man Mr Dion is :) he is just sooooo adorable :)

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  2. Hey - - - back in the day when I actually, you know, COOKED and BAKED, I used to make an apple tart like that!!!! Got the idea from a French chef on TV.

    By the way, I imagine it is much better to be a Tart than a F_ _ _.

    :-)

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  3. Looks great. I want one.And the puppy is so cute.

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  4. I'm not much of a baker but I think I could do that!

    So what happened to the poor 4th apple that didn't make the cut? Ha! I made a pun and I didn't even mean too!

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  5. Hi Cass, your tart came up a treat. I’ll try to remember this recipe for next year when I am wondering what to do with all our apples. I’ll just admire your tart from afar until then as I only joined Weight Watchers earlier this week and I don’t think it would be a very good start if the first thing I do is whip this tart up and then eat most of it ;P

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  6. Looks delish and so fitting for the season!

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  7. Looks so good! I am starved - past my lunch time anyway. Have a great weekend.
    Glenda

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  8. GREAT!!! apple tart recipe and the crust looks awesome.
    I love your puppy so adorable.
    Geri

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  9. Such a nice recipe. I love galettes and yours, despite your protestations, looks delicious. Have a great weekend.

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  10. ME ME ME...I want the next piece. I deserve it because there is NObody in the whole wide world that loves an apple tart better'n me !!!!
    This looks so yummy..I used to make little individual ones but I like this idea better! Thanks, Cass..
    O, and that's the cutest little dog, ever!

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  11. I disagree Cass. It is a great beauty. I prefer this look to a regular crust.
    And yes, you crack me up too. Snort.

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  12. We love baked apples at the house and this is a wonderful variation for it!

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  13. I was purring over the tart...I love apple things this time of year. Of course, once I saw that beautiful pup...I forgot about the food!

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  14. wow does that tart look delicious! it looks so good, i am tempted to try one myself. if it doesn't turn out as nice as yours, i will post my own version of a "train wreck" and participate in Gollem's Foodie Friday next week. i love her "train wrecks" btw...

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  15. Wonderful tarty transformation and adorable pooch!

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  16. I don't think there is a better scent than the smell of apples cooking. This looks delicious.
    Blessings,
    Marcia

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  17. Don't downgrade your tart...It is beautiful!! It's rustic and extremely French...glad Mr. Dion is feeling better...

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  18. Is a tart worse than a hussy or even a brazen hussy? I remember the nuns calling someone that..not me...I was a good apple..
    Tart looks delicious!
    Have a great weekend!

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  19. Yum, I'll take a piece!
    Mr. Dion is sooooo cute!!

    Melinda

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  20. That looks absolutely wonderful. and I love your little spaniel. Thank you for stopping by my blog and commenting on my son's wall of album covers. Yes, the albums are all still inside the covers. I still have a pretty large collection. Sadly, they're not worth anything, but I still do play them on occassion. So they are worth a lot of wonderful memories!

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  21. You made that look so easy...and nummy...I just may have to try it! Thanks

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  22. I use those pie crust too and will tackle this apple pie. Love the step by step with commantary!

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  23. Oh heavenly days! Does that look delicious! I cannever get enough apple treats this time of year, thanks for sharing!

    Smiles, Nancy

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  24. This looks SCRUMPTIOUS!!! Definitely a must do for me this fall.

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  25. Cass you always crack me up! A "reprive from the governor". HeHe!

    The tart looks easy, comforting ans so delicious. :)

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  26. My husband just turned our unbeautiful apples into apple crisp. He is taking over the kitchen for two days (with lots of advice) so that I can sew and make Christmas gifts.

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