Harvest Tart receipe - recommended by gourmet Nick Elcombe of Jenkins Farm (here's hoping he will make one for a our Harvest Festival Meeting on 23 Oct)

Harvest Tart

One 9- to 10-inch (23 -25 cm) tart

Recipe from Kate Hill, of Kitchen at Camont

For the dough

2 3/4 cups (400 gr) flour
1 tablespoon sugar
pinch of salt
9 ounces (250 gr) unsalted butter, chilled
2 large eggs (total)
3 tablespoons water

For the filling

2 1/4 pounds (1 kg) apples, peeled and cored
12 figs, halved
1 small bunch (2 to 4 ounces, 60 -120 grams) fresh grapes, stemmed
1/3 cup (65 gr) sugar, plus additional sugar for sprinkling
a big handful of whole walnuts
1 1/2 tablespoons Armagnac (or brandy, or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract)
1 cup (250 g) crème fraîche
1 large egg

1. To make the dough, in a large mixing bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, and salt. Cut the butter into cubes and mix together with your hands or using a pastry blender until it’s in small pieces no larger than the size of corn kernels.

2. Add one egg and the water, and mix until the dough holds together. Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface until it’s about 18-inches (45 cm) round.

Brush off any excess flour and fit into a 9- or 10-inch high-sided round baking dish or cake pan; the edges will overhang the sides quite a bit. (If using a springform pan, double wrap the outsides with foil to avoid leaks.)

3. Beat the remaining egg in a small bowl with a fork, then brush the insides of the dough with the egg.

4. Prepare the filling by slicing the apples into eighths. Mix them together with the figs, grapes, 1/3 cup (65 g) sugar, and Armagnac, then transfer the filling into the tart dough. Strew the walnuts over the top of the fruit.

5. In a small bowl, mix together the crème fraîche with the egg and pour it over the fruit and nuts. Lift the edges of the dough and cover the fruit, then sprinkle a good amount additional sugar over the top of the dough.

(When making tarts like this, I brush the dough with melted butter to help it stick.)

6. Put the tart on a baking sheet and bake in a 425Fº (218ºC) oven for 55 minutes to 1 hour, until the top of the dough is browned and the fruit is cooked through, which you can verify by poking the center with a paring knife; when done, it should meet no resistance.

(Note: During baking, the walnuts may darken, as shown. This is a rustic touch and typical. If you are concerned, you can drape the tart with foil if they become too dark for your taste.)

7. Remove the tart from the oven and let cool down a bit before serving.

Serving: It might be hard to get a clean slice from this juicy tart, so feel free to serve slabs into bowls. Kate serves the tart with sweetened crème fraîche fortified with a shot of Armagnac or brandy. Vanilla Ice Cream or regular whipped cream are other possible accompaniments.

Recipe of the Week - Member - Nick Elcombe

COURGETTE FRITTERS

 

To reduce this years glut into a different way of eating them

 

1 lb courgettes grated coarsely

2 eggs

3 desert spoons of flour

4 fl oz whole milk

1 table spoon of olive oil

 

Mix grated Courgettes with flour and eggs add milk so that a very thick batter in made.

 

Place tablespoons in heated oil. Turn when browned well and cook otherside to similar colour. Should make 8 about 3 inches in diameter.

 

Serve hot with salad as a starter or  with  fish or poultry

Recipe of the Week - Member - Nick Elcombe

CHEESE  AND BACON TARTE

 

INGREDIENTS

 

Serves 16

 

2 sheets ready made puff pastry

1 lb streaky bacon rind removed cut into 1/4 inch pieces

1 lb onions diced small

12 eggs

1 pint double cream

1 pint milk

1 lb grated cheese I use cheddar or Lancashire

1 tablespoon olive oil and same of butter

 

Line a tin  with the puff pastry sheets. I use the large Aga  roasting to which is 14" x !0 " x 2 1/2 ". The sheets should just overlap use a pastry brush with water to fix 2 sheets together. The sheets should just cover the rim of the tin. Place somewhere cool while the filling is prepared.

 

Heat the oil in a frying pan cook the bacon for about 7/8 minutes  remove. Place on 1 side

 

Using the bacon fat add butter cook onion until soft and just starting to take colour

 

Place bacon and onion over base of pastry add about 1/3 of the cheese. Mix eggs cream and milk in a bowl pour gently over bacon and cheese, strew with the remaining cheese.

 

Place on floor of Roasting Oven in Aga for about 35 minutes turning round after 15 to 20 minutes.

 

There should be that very important wobble remaining in the centre of the Tart when removed from the oven.

Allow to cool.

 

If 8 are to be served use the small Aga roasting tin and halve the ingredients and cook for about 25 minutes.

 

It is great sliced into squares at lunch with a salad