The Altitude Adjustment Section
My favorite high altitude cookbook — which, as you all know, is Susan Purdy’s Pie in the Sky (see link over there on the left under "Stacy's Cookbook Corner"), — has a recipe in it for Fresh Fig tart that has the beginning of November written all over it. While in NYC last week, I bought some of the most perfect figs I have ever tasted, and what did I do with them? I dipped them in dark chocolate and ate them. It was divine. But here is another option with a fantastic no-roll pastry everybody will love!
Ingredients for crust
2 1/4 cups A.P. flour
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup canola oil
3 to 4 tablespoons milk as needed
Ingredients for filling
2 cups Mascarpone
1/4 cup honey
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 pounds fresh ripe figs
Ingredients for glaze
2 tablespoons honey
2/3 cup currant jelly
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
Procedure
In medium bowl toss together flour, sugar, and salt. Add the oil and milk, and stir with a fork or your fingertips till it clumps together. If too dry, sprinkle in a bit more milk. Now just pick this mess up and press into the bottom of your 11 inch tart pan, which you have lightly sprayed with non-stick pan coating or lightly buttered. If it sticks to your finger,s cover it with plastic wrap and work it through the wrap, then remove. Now cut a 12-inch square of foil and spread with a little butter. Set greased side down on the pastry, fill shell with pie weights, and bake for 15-17 minutes in a preheated 425 oven. Then carefully remove the pie weights and lower oven to 350 and bake 12-14 minutes more. Let shell cool before filling.
To make filling, beat together everything but the figs and spread in the tart shell. Cut figs crosswise and lay flat on the filling. Now make a glaze! To make the glaze, just combine these 3 lovely ingredients in a small sauce pan till liquid and carefully spread over the figs. Refrigerate till ready to serve. Top with fresh thyme leaves. Oh La La!
