Pie Recipes #35 - Apple Pear Tart Recipe

Apple Pear Tart Recipe

Basic Rich Pastry (recipe below)
Dry beans
5 very ripe medium cooking apples, peeled, cored and chopped (5 cups)
2/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup butter
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon quick-cooking farina
1/4 cup Kirsch or cherry liqueur
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup apricot preserves
1 teaspoon sugar
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 medium cooking apples, cored and sliced
2 medium pears, peeled, cored and sliced
1 tablespoon cognac or brandy

For tart shell, prepare Basic Rich Pastry: On a lightly floured surface roll pastry dough to a circle 12 inches in diameter.Fit dough into a 10 or 11 inch flan pan with a removable bottom; press bottom and sides gently to remove air bubbles. Turn the overlapping dough edges to inside; press against sides of pan. Prick sides with fork.Line the bottom and sides of pan with heavy-duty foil and dry beans. Bake in a 400 oven for 20 minutes. Remove foil and beans. Bake 10 to 15 minutes more or till golden; set aside.

For filling, in a saucepan combine 5 cups apples, 2/3 cup sugar, 1/3 cupwine, butter, and 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon. Cook, covered, about 10 minutesor till apples are tender. Slowly sprinkle farina over apples; stirconstantly. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer 5 minutes or tillmixture is thickened; stir frequently. Remove from heat; stir in Kirschand vanilla. Cool slightly. Spread in bottom of baked tart shell.In a small saucepan combine the 1/4 cup wine, apricot preserves, 1 teaspoon sugar and 1/8 teaspon cinnamon. Bring to boiling; add sliced apples and pears. Cook about 7 minutes or till apples are translucent.Drain, reserving liquid.Arrange apple slices in a circle and pear slices in rows. Cook reservedliquid till reduced to 2 tablespoons; stir in cognac. Spoon over fruit.Serves 10.

Basic Rich Pastry
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup cold butter
1 tablespoon shortening
1 egg yolk
2 tablspoons cold water

Combine flour and salt. Cut in butter and shortening with a fork or pastrycutter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Make a well in the center.Beat together egg yolk and water. Add to flour mixture. Using a fork, stirjust till dough forms a ball.Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead 3 or 4 times. Wrap in clearplastic wrap and chill 20 minutes in frezzer or 2 1/2 hours in refrigeratorbefore rolling. Makes one 10 inch shell.