ST. LOUIS —
CHERRY RHUBARB TART
Ingredients:
2 cups flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
¾ cup cold unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes
4-5 tablespoons ice water
½ teaspoon almond extract (optional)
21-ounce can cherry pie filling
2 cups fresh rhubarb, cut into ½-inch pieces
1/3 cup sugar
2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 egg, for egg wash
1 tablespoon water, for egg wash
1 tablespoon sparkling sugar or 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
10-inch round tart pan with removable bottom
Directions:
Place flour, 2 tablespoons sugar, and salt into the bowl of a food processor and pulse several times to mix. Add the butter and pulse until it is pea-size. Add almond extract and 4 tablespoons ice water, and process at low speed until the pastry is crumbly. If the mixture appears dry, add the remaining ice water and process just until the pastry comes together and forms a ball. Remove the pastry, wrap it in plastic wrap, and chill at least 30 minutes or until it is cold.
In a large mixing bowl, gently stir together the pie filling, rhubarb, sugar, and lemon juice until they are well blended; set it aside.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. On a floured pastry cloth or counter, roll the pastry into a 12-inch circle. Fold the pastry in half and transfer it to a tart pan. Unfold, fit it into the pan, and trim excess pastry by running a rolling pin over the top of the tart pan. Gather the trimmings together into a ball, roll it out, and cut the pastry into ten ¾-inch wide strips using a pastry wheel or knife. Place 5 strips of pastry across the top, then turn the tart one-quarter turn and place the remaining pastry strips across the top to form a basket-weave pattern.
In a small bowl, whip the egg and water together with a fork. Brush some of the egg wash over the pastry strips and along the edges of the tart, and sprinkle them with sparkling sugar. Place the tart on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and bake 30-40 minutes, or until the pastry is golden brown, the filling is bubbly, and the rhubarb is knife tender. Remove the tart from the oven and transfer it to a wire rack to cool.
