Pasta Flora Greek Fruit Perserve Tart Recipes

PASTA FLORA: GREEK JAM TART

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• Roll out half the dough to fit in the bottom of the tart pan. Roll out about 1/3 of the remaining dough to make a strip (about a small finger's width and height) and place all the way around the raised sides of the tart pan, pressing gently to cover evenly and join with the base.
• Spread the jam evenly over the base of the tart shell.
• Preheat oven to 350 F/175 C.
• Roll out the remaining dough to about 1/4 inch thickness (or more) and cut into strips. For a decorative touch, use a fluted pastry wheel to cut the strips.
• Optional: If young cooks are making this tart, walnut-sized pieces of dough can be rolled by hand into ropes.
• Place the strips in a latticework (criss-cross) pattern across the top of the tart and bake in preheated oven for about 30 minutes, until golden brown.
• Serve and enjoy!

PASTA FLORA (GREEK FRUIT PERSERVE TART)

Steps:

• Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt together in a mixing bowl or food processor. Add the butter and pulse or cut it into the flour until it becomes pebbly.
• Beat 1 egg and 1 egg yolk (reserve 1 egg white for later) with the vanilla. Add that to the flour mixture, and blend until the dough gathers into a ball. Don't overwork the dough or it will be tough.
• Segment two-thirds of the dough and one-third of the dough. Wrap separately and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
• Take the larger dough ball and roll it out on a floured surface to form a surface a little larger than 10 inches. Press it into a 10-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Unlike a traditional pie dough, you are basically making a pâte sucrée, and are able to patch any holes in this and it will not shrink down like a pate brisée. Refrigerate the tart pan for 20 minutes.
• This pastry traditionally has a latticed crust, but in the photo, I cut out snowflakes for the season. You can do whatever works for you. For the lattice, lightly dust the remaining dough with flour and roll out between sheets of waxed paper to form a 10-inch circle. Peel off the top sheed of waxed paper and dust the dough with flour. Replace the waxed paper. Flip the dough over, peel off the waxed paper, and dust with flour. Cut the dough into 10 (3/4-inch wide) strips. Brush off excess flour with a dry pastry brush. Refrigerate strips for 20 minutes.
• Remove the tart pan from the refrigerator and spread the preserves over the dough. It may seem like the preserves barely fill the shell, but the tart will rise and fill out when it bakes, giving it a fuller appearance. Remove the dough strips from the refrigerator. Place 5 strips of dough vertically and 5 strips horizontally over the preserves to lattice the top. Bruch the lattice with reserved egg white and top with a little sugar.
• Bake in a preheated 350-degree oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until the tart is golden brown. Remove tart from the oven and place on a rack to cool. Remove the sides of the tart shell and serve.

PASTA FLORA (GREEK JAM TART)

Steps:

• Sift together the flour and the baking powder into a bowl.
• Cream the butter with an electric mixer.
• Add the sugar and beat until the mixture is pale and light-coloured (about 5 minutes), scraping the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula from time to time.
• Add the egg yolks one by one.
• Then add the brandy and the flavorings.
• Stop beating, and fold in the flour a little at a time, with a wooden spoon, blending it evenly into the mixture.
• When the dough becomes too stiff to stir, mix the flour in by hand until the dough is smooth and elastic (you may need to add a little water or milk to your dough to achieve this consistency - just a little at a time).
• Avoid overworking the dough.
• Cover dough in plastic wrap and allow to rest for 20 minutes before proceeding with recipe.
• On a floured surface roll out 2/3s of the dough into a round and line a buttered 10" pie dish or tart pan.
• Spread the jam over the dough.
• Roll out the reserved dough to a thickness of 1/8" and cut it into strips 1/2" wide.
• Lay them across the filling in a lattice pattern.
• Decorate with the almonds and bake the tart in a 350F degree oven for 30-35 minutes until light-golden.
• Store the tart uncovered, in a dry, cool place to prevent it from getting soggy.
• It can be kept one week at room temperature.