Innovate with these basic tart recipes

By Laura Tonkyn, Journal staff | Friday, November 16, 2007

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Samantha Christ spends most of her days creating wonderful dishes at Deadwood Thymes, a restaurant she co-owns with fellow chef, Mike Chaput of Deadwood. At a recent cooking class at Someone's In The Kitchen, she demonstrated how to make some of her favorite sweet and savory tarts — the same ones her customers enjoy at her Deadwood eatery.

Christ emphasized that the vegetables and fruits used in these recipes can easily be changed to any combination that suits your taste.

"I cook by the book," she said, "because that is the way I learn. But I improvise when I know something very well."

Christ also uses real cream and real butter in her recipes. Tarts tend to be somewhat high in fat and calories, "but you are not eating the whole thing," Christ said. "You are only eating one piece."

Here are the recipes — and as for eating just one piece — good luck with that.

Asparagus Tart

Flour

1 frozen puff pastry

2 cups grated gruyere cheese

asparagus

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 egg, beaten and mixed with a small amount of water

Salt and pepper

Sliced ham (optional)

On a floured surface, roll puff pastry into a 16-by-10-inch rectangle. Place pastry on baking sheet. With a sharp knife, lightly score pastry 1 inch in from the edges to mark a rectangle. Brush the pastry with a little beaten egg mixed with a small amount of water. Using a fork, pierce the pastry inside the markings at 1/2-inch intervals. Bake until golden at 400 degrees, about 15-20 minutes.

Remove the pastry shell from the oven. If necessary, press the inside of the pastry down, leaving the 1-inch edge to create the tart shell. Sprinkle the interior with the cheese. Layer ham slices on top. Trim the ends of the asparagus to fit crosswise inside the tart shell; arrange in a single layer over the cheese. Brush with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Bake until the spears are tender, about 20-25 minutes.

Lemon Sabayon-

Pine Nut Tart

Pine nut crust:

2 cups pine nuts (you may substitute almonds)

1/3 cup sugar

3 cups flour

16 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

Place pine nuts in food processor and pulse a few times. Add sugar and flour and pulse until nuts are finely ground. Add softened butter, egg and vanilla and mix to incorporate all ingredients. Turn out onto floured surface and pull dough together until it is lightly formed. Divide dough into three parts. Wrap two pieces in plastic wrap and freeze for future use.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Generously butter (or use cooking spray) and flour a 9-inch fluted tart pan with a removable bottom. Press dough evenly over the bottom and up the sides of the pan. Trim off any excess dough. Bake the dough for 20-30 minutes until the shell is golden brown.

Lemon sabayon

2 large eggs

2 large egg yolks

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup fresh lemon juice (or substitute orange, lime, mint or other favorite flavor)

6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces

Bring about 1-1/2 inches of water to boil in a pot. Whisk the eggs, yolks and sugar for about 1 minute in a large mixing bowl. Set the bowl over the pot and, using a large whisk, whip the mixture while you turn the bowl for even heating. Don't let the bowl touch the water, or it will get too hot.

When the eggs are foamy and have thickened, add one third of the lemon juice. Whisk vigorously and when the mixture thickens, add another third of the lemon juice. Repeat the process and add the remaining lemon juice. Continue whisking until the mixture is thickened, light in color and the whisk leaves a trail in the bottom of the bowl.

Turn off the heat but leave the bowl over the water as you add the butter — one piece at a time. Pour the warm sabayon into the tart shell and place the pan on a baking sheet. If you wish, place blueberries or sliced strawberries on the dough before you pour on the sabayon.

Preheat the broiler. Place the tart in the broiler and just brown the top. It will only take a few seconds. Let chill.

Serve with whipped cream.

Basic Pie and/or Tart Dough

1/3 cup unsalted butter (5-1/3 tablespoons)

1 cup flour

Pinch salt

6 tablespoons ice cold water

In processor or with your fingers, blend butter, flour and salt until dough is the consistency of cornmeal. Add ice water slowly while processor is running, and let run until a ball of dough forms. (If making by hand, use a fork to stir the dough just until pastry forms. Do not overmix.)

This recipe makes one pie shell. Bake the shell at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes.

Note: If you want a sweeter dough, add a tablespoon sugar. For a more cookie-type dough, add one egg while subtracting most of the water. You may also replace some of the water with vanilla or a little vinegar, depending on the flavor you wish to achieve.

Sweet Onion Tart

1 onion diced and sautéed lightly in 1 tablespoon butter or olive oil.

1 cup heavy cream

2 eggs

1 tablespoon fresh herbs as desired (tarragon, basil or dill are options)

Salt and pepper to taste

½ cup grated cheese (such as gruyere, but any cheese will work)

Mix together and pour into a tart shell (see above recipe). Bake 35-40 minutes at 350 degrees.

Cream Cheese Filling for a Fresh Fruit Tart

1 pound cream cheese

½ cup sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice (optional)

In mixing bowl, cream together the cream cheese and sugar. Add eggs and vanilla. Mix until smooth. Pour onto dough in tart pan and bake 40-45 minutes at 350 degrees.

Take out of the oven and cool. Top with fresh berries, peaches, apricots, nectarines or any other suitable fruit.

Note: To make a delicious glaze, microwave a container of apricot jam until it is warm and runny. Strain the jam through a sieve; then pour over the fruit. For a more intense fruit flavor, mix 2 ounces of a berry vodka into the filling instead of the lemon juice.

Pastry Cream

2 cups heavy cream

1-1/2 cups whole milk

1-1/2 cups sugar, divided into two parts

1 vanilla bean or 1 teaspoon vanilla

2 large eggs

3 large egg yolks

½ cup cornstarch

Combine cream, milk, ½ cup sugar and vanilla in a large, heavy saucepan. Bring to a gentle boil over medium heat, whisking to dissolve the sugar. Combine eggs, yolks, cornstarch and the remaining 1 cup sugar in mixing bowl and whisk until pale yellow. Slowly add 1 cup of the hot cream mixture to the egg mixture and whisk until smooth. Gradually add the egg mixture back into the saucepan of hot cream and whisk well to combine. Bring to a simmer, stirring constantly, and cook until the mixture thickens. Strain through a fine-mesh strainer into a clean bowl. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing directly against the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate until well chilled.

Note: This is a never-fail recipe created by Emeril LaGasse. This pastry cream makes a great banana cream pie, according to Thompson. Using a pie shell, simply layer the sliced bananas and cream, then top off with whipped cream.

Polenta Artichoke and Cheese Tart with Sauteed Mushrooms

2 cups ricotta cheese

2 cups mascarpone

¼ cup sugar

1 can artichoke hearts (about 8), drained and sliced

½ small sweet onion, diced and lightly sautéed

1 tablespoon anise seed (may substitute fennel or dill)

¾ cup polenta

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Butter a 10-inch spring-form pan. Whisk together the ricotta, mascarpone, sugar and anise seed. Add polenta and gently fold in artichokes and onion. Pour into the spring-form pan. Bake for 1 to 1-1/4 hours.

For sautéed mushrooms:

2 cups sliced mushrooms

1 teaspoon chopped garlic

1 teaspoon chopped shallot

¼ cup red wine

Salt and pepper

Butter or olive oil

Saute ingredients in the butter or olive oil, spoon over the tart and serve.