This weekend definitely felt like we jumped feet first into fall. The skies were clear and bright blue, the air was crisp yet the sun was warm, and two nights ago we came this close to having our first frost. And while I’m not quite ready to say goodbye to the tomatoes yet—especially since there are 4 enormous Cherokee Purples still ripening on the vine—it feels like its time to say goodbye to what has been a most notable summer.
Our first summer with a baby*, as a family of three. And my first days working for myself. So to celebrate where we’ve been and what lies ahead, I made us a berry tart.
When I was pregnant I ate more frozen organic raspberries than I ever would have thought possible. They were the most refreshing thing I could think of to have for dessert—my body temperature was surely higher than it normally is and I did everything I could to cool myself down—and so I stockpiled the freezer with frozen fruit. I was cleaning things out the other day and realized there was a package of mixed berries left.
Organic berries are hard to come by here (though we do get the most wonderful strawberries in our CSA), so I usually opt for frozen organic ones to use in smoothies and desserts. I love that they hardly need anything done to them to turn them into a most delicious pie or tart filling.
Paired with the dessert pastry that appeared in the Recipes for Health column a few weeks ago, which doesn’t contain near the normal amount of sugar found in pastry dough. The dough is described as a cross between a pastry dough and pizza dough, which is entirely what it tastes like—it’s ever so slightly flaky, but also has a nice toothsome quality to it.
It was just the thing to help me mark this moment of transition—though the very next day we faced reality, embraced cooler temps, and made a big pot of chili.
*Said baby spent the weekend blowing raspberries with gusto and rolling from her back to her tummy, only to be royally upset when she got there. She’s quite the character!
Rustic Berry Tart
Adapated from NYTimes
1/2 dessert pastry recipe
16 oz frozen mixed berries
2 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp flour
dash cinnamon
1. Preheat the oven to 350. Roll out the pastry (it helps if it’s super cold) into a circle until about 1/4 inch thick, using additional flour to keep it from sticking if necessary. (I actually rolled my pastry out between two sheets of plastic wrap which is remarkably effective.)
2. In a medium bowl, mix the berries (still frozen) with the flour, sugar, and cinnamon. Pour into the center of the tart, leaving about two inches of dough all around. Mound the berries in the center if need be. Fold up the edges, overlapping slightly.
3. Bake for about an hour until the crust is lightly browned and the filling is bubbling a bit. Serve warm or at room temperature—or chilled for breakfast with a hefty dollop of tart plain yogurt.