RECIPE: MINI STRAWBERRY TARTS

Anything in a homemade, buttery pastry crust is always a welcome treat but the crust is perhaps even more delicious (if that is possible) with the addition of ripe and juicy locally grown fruit. Late spring in middle Alabama is strawberry season... and we've been blessed with a huge, beautiful crop of perfect strawberries this year. Here's one of the best ways I know to enjoy summer's berries and fruit. FYI-The crust can be stuffed with just about anything. Leave off the sugar for chicken pot pie or other savory dishes.

I recently made these tarts for a benefit for the No Kid Hungry/Chefs Cycle event. Everyone asked for the recipe.... so here you go!

MINI STRAWBERRY TARTS

INGREDIENTS

For the crust

1 cup all-purpose flour plus extra for flouring work surfaces

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, very cold and cubed

3-4 tablespoons ice water

1 beaten egg (optional, for egg wash)

For the filling:

1/2 vanilla bean

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature

1 quart fresh strawberries, washed, hulled, and sliced

1-2 tablespoons granulated sugar (taste the strawberries to see how sweet they are and use just enough sugar to sweeten slightly)

pinch of kosher salt

pinch of black pepper

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice (or lemon juice if you prefer)

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour (you may need a bit more for extremely juicy berries)

DIRECTIONS

FOR THE PASTRY:

Use a food processor. If you don't have one, you can cut the butter into the flour by using a pastry blender or two butter knives as I did when I used to cook with my mom as a child.

Lay down a large sheet of plastic wrap on the counter. Sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon of the flour over the surface.

Add the flour, sugar, and salt to the bowl of the food processor. Turn it on run for a moment to incorporate. Begin to add the butter, 2-3 cubes at a time and pulse 10 times before adding the next. Once the butter has been incorporated, turn the food processor to "on" and add the ice water quickly, but add it one tablespoon at a time. As soon as the dough comes together in a ball, turn it off immediately.

Turn the dough out onto the prepared plastic wrap. Working quickly, shape it into a disc and cover with the plastic. Move it to the refrigerator to chill for at least 1 hour before using.

FOR THE FILLING:

Scrape the vanilla bean and add the seeds to the softened butter. Set aside.

Place the strawberries, sugar, salt, pepper, and lime juice in a glass bowl and mix together well. Sprinkle the flour over the top of the berries. Allow to sit for 10 minutes.

ASSEMBLY:

Preheat your oven to 420 degrees Fahrenheit. Place the rack in the center of the oven. Line a heavy sheet pan or baking sheet with parchment paper. Sit out a wire cooling rack.

Remove the pie crust from the refrigerator. Dust flour lightly over the work surface and also flour a rolling pin. Cut the pastry disc into 4 equal pieces. Working quickly, roll each into a ball and then press it down so you may roll each into a circle shape approximately 6" in diameter. Place each on the baking sheet.

Place a fine mesh sieve or strainer over a bowl. Pour the strawberries into the strainer to remove any excess juice. Add a heaping 1/4 cup of the strawberries to the center of each tart. Fold the crust over the berries, leaving the center open.

Using a pastry brush, brush the crust with the egg wash. I also sprinkle a bit of granulated sugar on the crust. Add a pinch of the vanilla butter to the top of each tart.

Place the assembled tarts into the freezer for 5-10 minutes to chill before baking so the tarts do not spread.

Bake for 12 minutes. Turn the tarts and bake for 4 more minutes or until golden brown and bubbly. Remove the pan to a wire rack and allow to cool for at least 15 minutes before serving.

SUMMER'S BEST RECIPES: FRESH PEACH PIE

Let's just call this one summer. To me, nothing says summer like fresh peaches and blueberries. Probably because we grow our own blueberries and the world's very best, juiciest, sweetest, and most delicious peaches come from Chilton County, Alabama, just minutes away. Growing up, peaches were a huge part of summer because I'd help my mom pick, peel, and slice tons of peaches to put up. I can remember picking them from the tree in the backyard; they would be warm from the sun and the fuzz would make your skin itch... so I'd wash them under the freezing cold water from the hosepipe (Alabama-speak for water hose) before we ate them.

Here's a super fast recipe for pie crust you can use for a single or double crust pie. I just prefer the rustic simplicity of this method to using a pie pan. You can whatever fruit you like but this time of year, I'm making peach. Add fresh blackberries or blueberries to this if you like; just toss them in with the peaches or sprinkle some on top if they are really ripe and sweet.

RUSTIC PEACH PIE

Prep Time: 20 minutes plus 1 hour chill time for the dough

Cook Time: 20-25 minutes

INGREDIENTS

Pastry

1 cup all-purpose flour, plus 2 tablespoons to roll out the dough

2 tablespoons granulated or superfine sugar plus ½ tablespoon to sprinkle on crust

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 pound (1 stick) very cold unsalted butter, diced

3-4 tablespoons ice water, maybe a slight bit more depending on how dough comes together

Filling

11/2 pounds fresh peaches (6 large peaches; not too ripe work best)

1/4 teaspoon grated lemon zest

1 ½ teaspoons fresh lemon juice

1/4 cup flour

2-3 tablespoons granulated sugar (I like mine less sweet; add more if you like or need to based on how sweet your fruit is)

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon ground allspice

2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, diced into small pieces

Egg Wash (optional)

1 egg, beaten

1 tablespoon cold water

Glaze (optional)

½ cup Orange Marmalade, Apricot Preserves, or Apple Jelly

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Stretch a 12 x 12 piece of plastic wrap out on the counter and dust with a little of the flour, about 1 tablespoon.

For the pastry, place the flour, sugar, and salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Pulse a few times to combine the dry ingredients. Add the butter, a little at a time, pulsing between additions until the butter is the size of peas. With the motor running, add the ice water all at once through the feed tube-stop the machine just before the dough becomes a solid mass. Turn the dough onto the well-floured plastic wrap. Handle as little as possible. Fold over the plastic and form into a round. Don’t over handle or over mix because your dough will be tough. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour. When you are ready to make the pie, flour a rolling pin and put a little flour around the plastic and on both sides of the dough; roll the pastry into an 11-inch circle on the plastic wrap. Wrap it over the rolling pin and transfer it to a baking sheet. Remove the plastic wrap.

For the filling, peel, and slice the peaches, working around the pit. I will sometimes drop the peaches in boiling water for 10 seconds and then simply use a paper towel to drain and then slide the skin off the peach. You can use an ice bath if you want to stop the cooking process but since I'm going to cook them anyway, I don't bother.

I like the look of slices- I usually slice a medium peach into 10 slices. Put the peach slices into a bowl and toss with the lemon juice and the lemon zest. Next, add the flour, sugar, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice. Add the cold butter. Mix all of the ingredients together until the peaches are well coated. Turn the peaches out onto the crust, leaving a 2-inch border all the way around.  Gently fold the border over the peaches to enclose the dough, pleating it to make a circle. Finish with the egg wash and sprinkle with granulated sugar before baking.

Bake the pie for 20-22 minutes, until the crust is browned and the peaches are tender. (Note: If you are not using the glaze, bake for another 4-5 minutes or until golden brown)

For the glaze: Microwave the preserves in a heatproof container for 10 seconds. Remove the pie from the oven. Using a pastry brush, lightly brush the crust and the filling with the melted preserves. Return to the oven for 4-5 minutes or until the pie is golden brown.

Allow to cool slightly before cutting.

RECIPE: OLD FASHIONED SOUTHERN LEMON MERINGUE PIE

My mom was an amazing pie maker- I've said it a million times. She made a pie or cobbler almost every single day and when I'd come home to Birmingham from my travels, I always knew I could always count on there being a Lemon Meringue Pie waiting for me.  It is one of my favorite memories and certainly one of my favorite pies. Make one of these for someone special in your life and start a tradition of your own.

I wish I could take credit for those gorgeous swirled tarts on the right- those are from Chez Fonfon in Birmingham. I just wanted to show you that meringue can be a light to deep golden brown, depending on your taste. They make the swirls using a large pastry bag fitted with a wide, flat tip.

OLD-FASHIONED SOUTHERN LEMON MERINGUE PIE

For a 9 inch pie or 8 tarts, depending on the size of your tart pans

INGREDIENTS

1- pie crust for a 9" pie plate, pre-baked (homemade or store bought)

LEMON MERINGUE FILLING

1 cup sugar

3 tablespoons cornstarch

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 3/4 cups whole milk

4 large egg yolks, beaten well. (Save the egg whites for the meringue)

1 1/2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest

1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

3 tablespoons butter, room temperature

MERINGUE

5 egg whites

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar (find it in the spice aisle)

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

FOR THE FILLING: Separate the egg yolks and whites. Put the yolks in a heat-proof bowl and beat them until they are slightly thickened. Add the sugar, salt, and cornstarch to a medium saucepan. Use a fork to combine the ingredients. Add the milk, 1/4 cup at a time, whisking each addition to incorporate very well. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture comes to a boil. Boil exactly one minute, stirring constantly to keep it from burning. Remove from the heat. Carefully temper the egg yolks with the hot mixture by whisking 1/4 cup of the hot liquid into the eggs, stirring to incorporate. Whisk another 1/4 cup of the hot mixture to the eggs and then turn the tempered egg mixture into the saucepan.

Cook over medium heat for 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat. Add the lemon zest, lemon juice, and butter. Stir well to combine. Set aside. 

FOR THE MERINGUE: Put the egg whites in a very clean mixing bowl. Beat on high speed for 30 seconds until the whites are frothy. Add the cream of tartar, beating on medium high until soft peaks form. Next, add the sugar, one tablespoon at a time until all the sugar is added and stiff, shiny peaks form. This takes about 3-4 minutes. Beat in the vanilla.

ASSEMBLY: Some people butter the bottom of a baked pie shell to act as a barrier between the filling and the crust so it won't get soggy. I did not do this step but you can if you like. Pour the filling into the pre-baked crust. Spread the meringue over the pie filling. The key is to make sure to spread the meringue all the way to the edges so the meringue doesn't shrink away from the crust as it bakes.

Bake the pie at 350 degrees F. for 15 minutes or until the meringue is golden. Cool the pie on a wire baking rack until it is cool (about 1 hour) and then put it into the refrigerator to cool completely before cutting it. (I usually allow it to chill in the fridge for at least 3 hours before serving. You can chill it less time but the filling might be not be completely set.)