The Martha Stewart Living Cookbook (95 page)

3.
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line the tart shell with parchment or foil, and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake until golden brown, about 25 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack. Remove the pie weights and parchment. Let cool completely.

4.
Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F. Brush the tart shell with the egg white. Fill with the cranberry mixture and syrup from the bowl. Bake until the syrup is only slightly runny and the berries begin to brown, 45 to 60 minutes (if the pastry edges brown too quickly, cover with a band of foil).

5.
Meanwhile, beat the cream to soft peaks. Beat in the crème fraîche; refrigerate.

6.
Let the tart cool on a rack until cool enough to remove from the tin. Serve warm, with crème fraîche whipped cream.

mini carrot-cardamom pies

MAKES EIGHT 4-INCH PIES

6 whole green cardamom pods

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

½ cup milk

½ cup heavy cream

1 teaspoon finely grated peeled fresh ginger

12 ounces carrots, peeled and cut into ¼-inch pieces (2½ to 3 cups)

1 cup sugar

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teaspoon coarse salt

4 large eggs, lightly beaten

½ cup finely ground gingersnap cookies

1 disk Martha’s Perfect Pâte Brisée (Basics)

Freshly whipped cream, for serving

Ground cardamom, for dusting

1.
Make the filling: Crush the cardamom pods with the flat side of a chef’s knife just to split. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a small saucepan over medium heat; add the crushed cardamom. Cook until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add the milk, cream, and ginger; bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook 15 minutes. Remove from heat; let steep 30 minutes.

2.
Melt the remaining tablespoon butter in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the carrots; cook, stirring occasionally, 2 minutes. Stir in the sugar and salt. Cover the pan; cook until the carrots are tender, about 8 minutes. Pour the steeped milk through a sieve into the pan with the carrots; discard the solids. Remove from heat; let cool slightly, about 5 minutes. Process the carrot mixture in a food processor until completely smooth; transfer to a bowl.

3.
Temper the beaten eggs by whisking in up to ¾ cup carrot mixture, ¼ cup at a time, until the eggs are warm to the touch. Pour the warmed egg mixture into the remaining carrot mixture; whisk until thoroughly combined. Let cool.

4.
Make the pies: Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly sprinkle the ground gingersnaps on a work surface to form a large circle about 18 inches in diameter. On the crumbs, roll out the pâte brisée to
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inch thick, turning occasionally to coat both sides.

5.
Cut out 8 5-inch rounds from the dough. Press the rounds into 8 4-inch pie plates; trim excess. With a fork, crimp the edges, and then prick the bottom of the dough all over. Refrigerate 30 minutes.

6.
Line each pie shell with parchment paper or foil, and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake until golden brown, about 30 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack. Remove the pie weights and parchment. Let the shells cool completely.

7.
Divide the filling among the shells. Bake until a cake tester comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Serve the pies warm with whipped cream dusted with ground cardamom.

pear-fig-walnut pie

MAKES ONE 9-INCH PIE

¾ cup Madeira wine

5 ounces soft, dried black Mission figs (scant
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cup), stemmed and quartered

3 whole star anise

Martha’s Perfect Pâte Brisée (Basics), almost room temperature

All-purpose flour, for dusting

3 pounds ripe Anjou pears, peeled, cored, and cut into ¼-inch-thick wedges

3 ounces walnuts, broken into small pieces (about ¾ cup), toasted and cooled

Juice of 1 lemon

½ cup granulated sugar, plus more for sprinkling (or use sanding sugar)

¼ teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons cornstarch

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

1 large egg yolk

1 tablespoon heavy cream

1.
Preheat the oven to 400°F, with a rack in the lower third. Bring the wine, figs, and star anise to a boil in a small saucepan over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer until the figs are softened, 10 to 12 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the figs to a large bowl. Cook the mixture in the pan over medium-high heat until reduced to a syrup, about 3 minutes; discard the star anise. Pour the syrup over the figs.

2.
Meanwhile, roll out 1 dough disk on floured parchment to make a 13-inch circle; start with pressure in the center and ease up just before reaching the edges. Drape the dough over the rolling pin; center over a 9-inch glass pie plate, and unroll. Gently push into the plate. Trim to leave a ¼-inch overhang; refrigerate. Roll out the second disk. Cut out a vent with a cookie cutter, and refrigerate the cutout.

3.
Add the pears, nuts, lemon juice, sugar, salt, and cornstarch to the figs; stir until well combined. Spoon into the pie plate (pile high in the center). Dot with the butter; lightly brush the rim of the dough with water. Drape the second disk over the pin; center over the filling. Gently press around the filling to fit; trim to leave a ½-inch overhang. Fold the edge of the top crust under the bottom one; crimp to seal. Brush water on the bottom of the cutout; press onto the top crust. Beat the yolk with the cream; brush over the crust. Sprinkle with sugar; freeze until very firm, about 30 minutes.

4.
Bake on a baking sheet until just golden, 20 to 25 minutes. Reduce heat to 375°F. Bake, rotating halfway through, until bubbling, and the bottom crust is deep golden brown, about 1 hour. (If the edges brown too quickly, cover with a foil ring.) Let cool on a wire rack.

pumpkin and ricotta crostata

MAKES ONE 10-INCH CROSTATA

1 disk Pasta Frolla (recipe follows)

All-purpose flour, for dusting

Unsalted butter, softened, for pie plate

1 cup ricotta cheese, drained for 30 minutes in a cheesecloth-lined sieve set over a bowl

½ cup mascarpone cheese

1 can (15 ounces) solid-pack pumpkin

5 tablespoons sugar

¼ teaspoon coarse salt

Heaping ¼ teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg

½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 large egg yolks, lightly beaten

2 tablespoons pine nuts

1 large egg white, lightly beaten

1.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Bring the pasta frolla to room temperature. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to ¼ inch thick. Transfer to a lightly buttered 10-inch pie plate. Use your fingertips to press the dough against the bottom and sides of the dish until even. Trim the edges; refrigerate the scraps in plastic wrap until step 4.

2.
Prick the bottom of the pastry shell all over with a fork. Bake until set and pale golden brown, about 15 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack. With a small knife, trim the edge of the shell where uneven to leave a ¼-inch space between the shell and the top of the dish.

3.
Raise the oven temperature to 375°F. Process the ricotta in a food processor until smooth. Add the mascarpone, pumpkin, sugar, salt, nutmeg, and vanilla; process until well combined, about 30 seconds. Add the yolks; process until combined, about 10 seconds. Pour into the pastry shell.

4.
Tear the reserved chilled dough scraps into 1-inch pieces. On a lightly floured surface, gently roll pieces with your hands to make ¼-inch-thick ropes. Gently press 1 long rope around the top edge of the shell (patch 2 ropes together, if necessary). Gently place other pastry ropes on top of the filling to create a lattice pattern (ropes of all lengths can be used). Place 3 pine nuts in each square of lattice. Brush the latticework with egg white.

5.
Bake the crostata until the crust is golden brown and the filling is set, about 40 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack.

pasta frolla

MAKES ENOUGH FOR TWO 10-INCH CROSTATA

Pasta frolla (Italian for “short pastry”) is the basic pastry dough of Italy. Our recipe yields enough dough for 2 crostata (you’ll need to double the pumpkin and ricotta filling).

2¼ cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

½ cup sugar

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teaspoon salt

14 tablespoons (1¾ sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1 large egg yolk, lightly beaten

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 tablespoon freshly grated lemon zest

1.
Pulse the flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor just until combined. Add the butter; pulse until the mixture resembles coarse meal, 6 to 8 times.

2.
Whisk together the egg, egg yolk, vanilla, and lemon zest. With the processor running, add the egg mixture; process just until the dough begins to come together. Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface; lightly knead to form a ball.

3.
Divide the dough into 2 pieces; gently press into flat disks. Wrap tightly in plastic. Refrigerate at least 1 hour or overnight, or freeze up to 1 month.

apple pie with cheddar crust

MAKES ONE 10-INCH PIE

Cheddar Crust dough (recipe follows)

1½ pounds Granny Smith apples (about 3), peeled, cored, and cut into ¼-inch-thick wedges

2 pounds Cortland apples (about 5), peeled, cored, and cut into ¼-inch-thick wedges

1 cup sugar

½ cup all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

¼ teaspoon salt
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teaspoon ground cloves

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

1 large egg, beaten

1.
Preheat the oven to 450°F. Divide the dough into 2 pieces. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out each to a 13-inch circle.

2.
Fit one circle into a 10-inch pie plate; transfer the plate to a baking sheet. Put the other circle on another baking sheet. Refrigerate the dough until cold, at least 30 minutes.

3.
Stir together the apples, sugar, flour, lemon juice, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and cloves. Spoon into the bottom pie crust. Dot the filling with butter. Cover with the top crust. Fold the edges over; crimp decoratively to seal. Cut a steam vent. Chill in the freezer until firm, about 30 minutes.

4.
Brush with egg. Bake the pie 10 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F; bake until golden brown, about 45 minutes. Tent with foil; bake until the juices are bubbling, about 45 minutes more. Let cool at least 1½ hours before serving.

cheddar crust

MAKES ENOUGH FOR ONE 10-INCH DOUBLE CRUST

2½ cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

1 teaspoon sugar

½ teaspoon salt

14 tablespoons (1¾ sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

4 ounces white Cheddar cheese, coarsely grated (about 1½ cups)

½ cup ice water

1.
Process the flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor. Add the butter; pulse until pea-size lumps appear. Pulse in the cheese. With the processor running, add the ice water; process just until the dough comes together.

2.
Turn the dough out; gather into a block. Wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate until cold, at least 30 minutes or up to 2 days. The dough can be frozen up to 3 weeks.

apricot-pistachio tart

MAKES ONE 9 × 17-INCH TART

1 cup plus 1 tablespoon unsalted pistachios, shelled and toasted

½ cup granulated sugar

8 tablespoons (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes

1 large egg

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Pinch of salt

All-purpose flour, for dusting

1 box (17¼ ounces) puff pastry, thawed

1¼ pounds apricots (about 6), cut into ¼-inch-thick wedges

1 large egg yolk

1 tablespoon heavy cream

2 tablespoons turbinado or other raw sugar

¼ cup apricot jam

1.
Process 1 cup nuts and the granulated sugar in a food processor to combine. Add the butter; process until a paste forms. Add the egg, vanilla, and salt; process to combine. Set aside.

2.
On a lightly floured surface, press the edges of both pastry sheets together to form one large sheet. Roll out to a 9 × 17-inch rectangle; transfer to a baking sheet. Spread the reserved pistachio mixture over the dough, leaving a ¾-inch border.

3.
Position the rectangle so a short end is nearest you. Arrange the apricots on top in 4 vertical rows, alternating the direction in which apricots face from row to row. Fold in the edges of the dough; use your index finger to make a scalloped border. Refrigerate until cold, about 30 minutes.

4.
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Whisk together the yolk and cream; brush the egg wash over the edges of the tart shell. Chop the remaining tablespoon nuts; sprinkle the nuts and turbinado sugar over the apricots. Bake, rotating the sheet halfway through, until the crust is deep golden brown and the fruit is juicy, about 35 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack.