as you’ve likely discerned from my posts, i have an affinity for all things tart. and raspberries are no exception. they, along with hearty rhubarb, grew wild and uncontrollably in my parents’ Massachusetts backyard. my dad would cut the plants back, and they’d reappear more robust and plentiful than ever, mocking his every effort to contain them. much like one of his children, but that’s another story entirely. in the early morning, i’d go out and carefully pick the raspberries, so we could toss them on our cereal. or after dinner, on our ice cream. i think my dad was secretly elated that the berries refused to vacate the premises.

this season’s northwest berries have sadly vanished. but i found some rather puckery California raspberries to help me bid a fond farewell to the wonderfully temperate weather.

the rustic tart pastry was flaky and just melted in my mouth. i found handling the dough a bit challenging, though; kind of fussy when pulsed it in the food processor, apparently one too many times. think it recovered nicely, when i added a little flour.

Rustic Raspberry Tart
a slight variation on a kerrygold recipe

INGREDIENTS

1 cup unbleached organic flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons cold unsalted kerrygold butter (i used european-style butter)
1 large egg yoke (reserve the egg white)
3 – 5 tablespoons water
2 cups fresh raspberries
3 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons flour

DIRECTIONS

1. preheat oven to 400F.
2. in a food processor, combine flour and salt.
3. add butter, pulsing until mixture resembles coarse meal.
4. slowly add egg yoke and water, one teaspoon at a time; process until dough clumps together and begins to form a ball.
5. gather dough and place on a sheet of flour-dusted plastic wrap.
6. flatten dough into a disk about 6 inches wide.
7. place another piece of plastic wrap, floured side down, on dough.
8. with rolling pin, flatten into an even 11- to 12-inch round; lift and smooth plastic wrap  and continue rolling as needed.
9. remove top sheet of wrap and invert dough into a 2 x 15-inch baking sheet lined with parchment (i just used a cookie sheet); remove remaining plastic wrap.
10. place raspberries in center of pastry, leaving a 2-inch border.
11. in a small bowl, mix sugar and flour; sprinkle evenly over the berries.
12. gently (truly be vigilant, as the pastry seemed very fragile) fold the edges of the pastry over the berries, pleating the edges as you go. leave a 4- to 6-inch-wide opening in center.
13. brush pastry with reserved egg white; sprinkle some sugar over the pastry.
14. bake on the lower oven rack until crust is golden and juices bubble, around 25 minutes.
15. cool on sheet for at least 15 minutes.
16. while tart is still warm, use a wide spatula to loosen tart from pan and transfer to a serving platter.

cut in wedges and serve warm, dusted with powdered sugar or topped with whipped cream. a light, sweet, juicy, tangy after-dinner treat.