Shaker buddha’s hand tart
8 servings
Makes:
For the filling:
1 whole Buddha’s hand citron
1 ⅓ cups granulated sugar 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste (or 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract)
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
½ teaspoon fine sea salt (or 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt)
¼ cup plain full-fat yogurt or sour cream
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
4 teaspoons all-purpose flour 2 large eggs, room temperature For the pastry dough:
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
½ teaspoon fine sea salt (or 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt)
½ cup/1 stick cold unsalted butter, cut into ½ -inch cubes
¼ cup ice-cold water 2 tablespoons apricot jam or orange marmalade combined with 1 teaspoon hot water, to make a glaze
1. Macerate the fruit for the filling: Rinse the Buddha’s hand under warm water, making sure to flush out its crevices where the“fingers” join. Shake the fruit dry, then cut off any dried or withered tips of the fingers. Using a mandoline set over a cutting board, slice each finger until you reach the larger“base” of the fruit. Measure out 6 ounces and place all the small cross-section rounds in a bowl. If you need more fruit to reach the weight (or want a few larger slices for the top of the tart), continue slicing the base until you have enough and add them to the bowl.
2. Pour enough boiling water over the slices to cover them, then let stand for 10 minutes. Drain the slices, return to the bowl and add the sugar, vanilla bean paste (or extract), lemon juice and salt. Toss to combine, ensuring each slice is coated in sugar. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let stand at room temperature for at least 24 hours or up to 3 days.
3. Meanwhile, make the pastry dough: In the bowl of a food processor or in a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar and salt and pulse or whisk to combine. Add the butter and pulse until it forms pea-size crumbles in the flour, about 10 pulses; or rub the butter into the flour with your fingers. Drizzle in the ice-cold water and pulse just until the crumbles are moistened, about 6 pulses; or use a fork to toss the flour and butter with the water in the bowl until the dough starts to come together. Scrape the dough crumbles onto a work surface and knead briefly to combine. Shape the dough into a ¾ -inch-thick disk and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least 1 hour or, preferably, for 24 hours. The pastry disk will hold in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
4. Remove the dough disk from the refrigerator and transfer to a floured work surface. Using a floured rolling pin, flatten the dough into a round that is
⅛- inch thick, about 14 inches in diameter. Transfer the round to a 9 ½ -inch tart pan with a removable bottom and allow it to gently sink into the pan, pressing it lightly against the corner and up the sides. Place your rolling pin over the pan and roll it over the edges to trim the excess pastry. Transfer the pan to the refrigerator while you prepare the filling.
5. Line a baking sheet with foil (not parchment paper) and place in a cold oven, then heat the oven to 400 degrees.
6. In a medium bowl, combine the yogurt and butter and whisk until smooth. Add the flour, 1 teaspoon at a time and stir until smooth between each addition, until it is fully incorporated (this helps avoid lumps in the flour). Add the eggs and whisk until smooth. Scrape the egg mixture over the sliced Buddha’s hand and stir with a small silicone spatula or spoon until everything is evenly combined, making sure to separate any slices of fruit that may be stuck together.
7. Scrape the filling over the chilled pastry in the tart pan.
All the sliced fruit will pile in the center of the tart, so use your fingers to separate them so they are suspended evenly throughout the custard. Make sure to arrange any particularly attractive slices on top so they show in the finished tart.
8. Place the tart on the hot baking sheet in the oven and bake, rotating the sheet halfway through, until the filling is puffed and lightly browned at its edges, and the pastry is cooked through and golden brown, about 30 minutes. Remove the sheet from the oven and let the tart cool completely in the pan.
9. Place the jam or marmalade and water for the glaze in a small bowl and stir until loosened. Pour the mixture through a fine sieve into a bowl, then use a pastry brush to lightly brush the top of the tart with the jam glaze.
Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.
Easy egg and sausage phyllo bake
Makes: 6 servings
8 large eggs
2 large eating apples
3 ounces Gruyere or Swiss cheese
4 ounces cooked and crumbled sweet or spicy sausage
8 ounces baby spinach, roughly chopped 1 bunch scallions or a handful of chives, trimmed and finely chopped
5 ounces ricotta cheese
Fresh grated black pepper
Salt to taste
Olive oil or melted butter for pan
12 sheets of phyllo pastry, thawed
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Beat eggs in a large bowl. Coarsely grate in the apples and most of the Gruyere or Swiss.
3. Add cooked sausage, spinach and scallions or chives to the eggs. Then add ricotta cheese. Season with a good grind of
black pepper and salt and mix again. Pour the mixture through a colander into another bowl, separating the eggs from the filling. (You should get about a cup of liquid.) Put egg mixture aside.
4. Rub a deep 14-by-12-inch casserole dish with a little olive oil or melted butter. Lay out one sheet of phyllo (I used two sheets), brush with a little more butter or oil, then evenly spread over one-sixth of the filling.
Roll up and place in the oiled pan, folding in the edges.
5. Repeat with the remaining sheets of phyllo and the remaining filling.
6. Brush the top with a little oil, then bake in the bottom of the oven for 20 minutes. Evenly pour the reserved egg mixture on top, along with remaining Gruyere or Swiss.
7. Return to oven and bake for another 10 minutes or until cheese is melted and golden. — Adapted from“7 Ways: Easy Ideas for
Every Day of the Week” by Jamie Oliver