Fresh Garden Tart

Simple and Delicious!

This dish has a French name that scares people. That makes it sound complicated when it isn’. It is a Tart of sorts. And it is delicious served by itself or as part of a meal – great for a brunch. I’ll even bet it could be served with vanilla ice cream on top even though it is not considered a desert. I will try it that way the next time I make it.

I cheat because I am not the best crust maker in the world and because this way saves a lot of time and is just as delicious.

Fresh Garden Tart:

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs Swiss chard, washed, ribs removed (Just strip it down by hand. Doesn’t take any time. Leave the tender ones on.)
• ¼ cup golden raisins
• 2 tbs. dark rum
• 1/2 cup pine nuts lightly toasted
• 1/2 cup confectioner’s sugar
• 2 eggs beaten
• 1 lemon (grate the rind) and then chopped finely with a good knife
• 2 large Golden Delicious Apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced. ( I prefer Granny Smith Apples)
• 1 egg beaten to wipe on top of crust (set aside)

Lightly spray PAM in a 13 X 9 inch baking dish

Preheat oven to 375

For the Pastry:

BUY a frozen pastry, not pie crust. I use the Pepperidge Farm Puff Pastry Sheets. They come in two rectangular segments. Lay them out to soften. You’ll need to roll one to fit the bottom of the dish so that it goes all the way up the side. Don’t worry if it doesn’t look perfect. The dough may not even totally reach the top of the sides. That is okay. We’ll fix it later by tucking the top dough crust overtop of this bottom one. You’ll see. Using a fork prick the dough on the bottom of the dish and set aside. Put the other piece of dough aside to be used as the top crust.

Now:

1. Cook chard in pot of boiling water for 15 minutes ish. Drain and cool under cold water. Squeeze out ALL the water you possibly can. Don’t worry if it looks smashed. It is more important to get the water out. Then chop it finely.

2. While chard is cooking, cook raisins in the rum on low heat until raisins absorb the rum – only a few minutes. Set aside to cool.

3. While the above is going on, toast the pine nuts lightly just to bring out the flavor.

4. Mix the chard, raisins, pine nuts, sugar, 2 beaten eggs, and lemon rind in a large bowl.

5. Place this mixture over the dough.

6. Arrange the thinly sliced apples all over the chard in a layer.

7. Roll the other piece of dough to fit the top of the dish and lay it on top tucking it around the dough of the bottom crust so that the top dough is over top of the dough from the bottom. Now just fold and tuck the corners like you are tucking someone into bed. The chard mixture should be totally enclosed with dough and no dough should be hanging over the dish.

8. Brush top with the one beaten egg. Bake about 30-40 minutes. Top should be golden brown.

9. Sprinkle with confectioner’s sugar and serve. It is best warmed. And do try some vanilla ice cream.

Good Luck. It is truly easy and folks will be impressed.

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