Proscrastination

I don't know why I decided to bake a tart on one of the hottest days of the year so far. Humidity reared it's ugly head and instead of going to the beach or enjoying an air conditioned movie theater, I stayed inside with my oven set to 400˚F. Nice.

Actually, it's called procrastination. I was supposed to be studying for a test (and I was!) but when I'm home I always find other things to do like recycling my stacks of magazines, cleaning the bathroom, reorganizing my spice collection...instead of what I'm really supposed to be doing. (The berry tart was just breakfast!) This tart would be great for your summer BBQs, especially with vanilla ice cream, but don't forget the air conditioning.



Rustic Berry Tart

Crust:
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 large egg, lightly beaten

Tart Filling:
2 1/2 cups raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries (or any combination)
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon flour
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Finish:
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon sugar

1. Make the crust: Mix the flour, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Add the butter. Using a pastry blender, cut the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse meal. Add the egg and stir just until the dough holds together. Gather the dough into a ball and flatten into a disk. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes.

2. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Assemble the filling: Add the berries to a large bowl. Gently stir in the 2 tablespoons sugar, 1 tablespoon flour, and 1 tablespoon lemon juice.

3. Remove the dough from the refrigerator. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to a 10-inch circle, then transfer to a parchment lined baking sheet. Place the berry mixture in the center of the dough leaving a 1-inch border around the edge. Fold the 1-inch border over the berries to form an 8-inch tart.

3. Bake the tart: Lightly brush the tart dough edge with the remaining beaten egg and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon sugar. Bake for 25 - 30 minutes, until the crust is light brown and the filling is bubbling, rotating once halfway through baking. Remove from the oven and cool for 15 minutes before slicing. Serve immediately or at room temperature. Serves 6.