In her previous cookbooks Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone and the classic Greens Cookbook, among others, Deborah Madison scored with savory yet sophisticated fare--the kind of food even meat lovers relish. Local Flavors: Cooking and Eating from America's Farmers' Markets finds Madison shopping those havens of quality, taste, and diversity, and devising recipes based on their seasonally available bounty.
The three pome fruits meet in this delectable pastry. I especially like this tart when made with puff pastry which our local bakery makes far better than I do. If you can arrange to buy a 16-ounce piece of fine puff pastry from a bakery, obtain frozen made by Dufour, or are willing to make your own, then use puff pastry. Otherwise, use the Galette Pastry, which is also very good.
Serves 6
1 pound puff pastry
2 apples, such as Gravenstein, Golden Delicious, or Mclntosh
2 ripe but firm Bartlett or Luscious pears
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons sugar
2 quinces (about 16 slices), poached in syrup
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted whipped cream or creme fraiche
Galette Pastry (recipe follows)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 teaspoons sugar, approximately
Roll chilled puff pastry into a square 1/4 inch thick. Place it on pan and refrigerate until ready to bake.
Peel and core the apples and slice them into wedges 1/4 inch thick.
Peel and core the pears and slice them a bit thicker. Toss the fruits with the cinnamon and the sugar.
Preheat the oven to 400F. Remove the pastry from the refrigerator, loosely arrange the fruit in the middle, drizzle the butter over it, then pull the opposite corners toward each other. They won't meet.
Bake for 15 minutes, then reduce the heat to 375F and continue baking until the pastry is puffed and golden and the fruit is tender, 40 to 50 minutes. Serve warm with softly whipped cream or a crème fraiche.
VARIATION WITH GALETTE DOUGH: Use the fruit as describe, plus an additional apple and pear.
Preheat the oven to 450F. Roll the dough into a wide circle and place the fruit in the center, leaving about a 3-inch band around the edge. Fold the dough over the fruit, overlapping it as you go. Brush the butter over the dough, leaving enough to drizzle over the fruit. Sprinkle the sugar over the crust, then bake at 450F for 15 minutes. Lower the heat to 375F and bake until the crust is browned and the fruit is tender, about 45 minutes. Turn the pan at least once so that the galette bakes evenly.
Galette Pastry
Makes 1 large rustic tart
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into small chunks
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup ice water, plus extra, if needed
Mix the flour, salt, and sugar together in a bowl. Cut in the butter by hand or use a mixer with the paddle attachment, leaving the butter in large pea-size chunks. Sprinkle the vanilla over the top, then the ice water by tablespoonfuls, and lightly work it with the flour mixture until you can bring the dough together into a ball. Gently press the dough into a disk, slip it into a clean plastic bag and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes before rolling it out.
