Optional: 1/3 cup rolled oats or finely chopped nuts of your choice, zest of 1 lemon, or 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, nutmeg or cardamom)
Fruity Filling:
4cupsfruit (such as 3 1/2 cups sliced fresh figs and 1/2 cup huckleberries)
1/4cupsugar
2tablespoonscornstarch or tapioca flour
1tablespoonlemon juice
1/8teaspoonsalt
Instructions
Crust:
Combine the flour and salt in a medium bowl. Add the butter and work with your fingers until some pea-sized chunks remain. Measure out 1 1/2 cups of the mixture into another medium bowl and set aside.
To the original bowl, drizzle in the ice water slowly, tossing with your fingers or a rubber spatula, until the dough just starts to come together when you give it a squeeze. Gather into a ball, flatten into a disc, slip into a plastic bag and chill for 1 hour, until firm.
Crumble:
Meanwhile, add the sugar to the 1 1/2 cups of the mixture, and any other flavorings, nuts, and/or oats. Rub with your fingers until some large clumps form. Leave at room temperature. (Or chill if making the tart later.)
Preheat the oven to 375ยบ. Position an oven rack on the lowest position. If you have a baking stone, place in on the rack.
Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface into a 10" round, a scant 1/4" thick. Ease it into an 8 or 9" tart pan with a removable bottom, trim the edges to a 1" overhang and fold over, pressing the sides even. Freeze 20 minutes.
Filling:
Toss the fruit in a bowl with the sugar, cornstarch, juice and salt to combine thoroughly. Turn into the unbaked tart shell and spread even; it may mound slightly in the center. Crumble the topping evenly over the fruit. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment (for easy cleanup), and place in the oven, on the stone.
Bake about 1 hour, rotating once, until the fruit is bubbling thickly, and the crisp topping and tart shell are nicely browned. Remove from the oven. Let cool at least 20 minutes.
Remove sides and slide the tart onto a cutting board or serving platter. Slice and serve with ice cream, whipped cream or creme fraiche.
Notes
Adapted from Gourmet.My favorite thing about this recipe is that the fruit and topping go into an un-baked crust - yay! I made this in an 8" tart pan, but I think a 9" pan would work fine, as well.Variation:Rhubarb Berry Tart with Cardamom Oat CrumbleAdd 1/3 cup quick (baby) oats and 1/2-3/4 teaspoon ground cardamom to the crumble topping. For the fruit, use 1 1/2 cups rhubarb cut into 1/2" dice, 1 1/2 cups blueberries, and 1 cup raspberries. Increase the sugar in the filling to 1/3 cup. Serve the tart with vanilla ice cream.Nutritional values are based on one of eight servings.