Rustic Nectarine & Apricot Tart
From “On Rue Tatin” by Susan Hermann Loomis: Nothing captures the sweetness of Autumn quite like the taste of ripe apricots and nectarines! It brings back memories of one of the most amazing holidays I’ve ever had – on a Tauck Tour in Paris. Our introduction to France’s love affair with food from Normandy was thanks to farmhouse cooking expert Chef Susan Hermann Loomis, author of the yummy story/cookbook On Rue Tatin.
She charmed us with her honest yet simple approach to the culinary arts. I hope one day you too will find your culinary passion while travelling but in the meantime, I know you’ll enjoy Chef Susan’s Tarte Aux Nectarines et Abricots excerpt and recipe below as much as I do!
Rustic Nectarine & Apricot Tart – excerpt from Susan Hermann Loomis: We are tart fanatics and I make them all the time during summer with whatever seasonal fruits I find at Chez Clet. This style is my favourite because it is quick and gives a gorgeous result – the pastry is neither chilled nor pre-baked. The oven must be preheated and the pastry rolled out and fitted into the tart tin before the fruit is cut up and combined with the sugar and cornstarch, so you can turn the fruit mixture immediately into the pastry, finish the assembly, and bake it. If the fruit sits, it gives up a great deal of juice, which can prevent the pastry from baking properly.
1 small egg Pastry for one-crust tart or pie ½ cup sugar 2 Tbsp cornstarch 1 pound apricots, pitted and cut into quarters About 5 nectarines (1 ¼ pounds) pitted and cut into eighths
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and 2 teaspoons of water to make an egg wash.
- Roll out the pastry to a 13-inch circle. Fit it gently into a 13-inch tart tin with a removable bottom, leaving the pastry to hang over the edge of the tin. Brush the bottom of the pastry with the egg glaze.
- Combine the sugar and cornstarch in a large bowl. Add the fruit and stir until all the ingredients are combined, then turn it into the prepared pastry. Quickly fold the edges of the pastry over the fruit. They will be somewhat uneven but don’t be concerned. Quickly brush the pastry with the egg glaze, place the tart tin on a baking sheet, and bake it in the bottom third of the oven until the fruit and the pastry are golden and cooked through – about 35 to 40 minutes.
- Remove from the oven, place the tart on an upturned bowl, and immediately remove the edge of the tart and mold from the tin. Let the tart cool to room temperature and serve. Makes 6 – 8 servings
