Recipe - Rhubarb Tarts With Walnut Pastry

One half cup Allpurpose flour
One half cup Ground walnuts (1 ounce)
2 tablespoon Sugar
One fourth cup Wellchilled unsalted butter
(One half stick)
Cut into small pieces
1 tablespoon (about) ice water
FILLING
1/3 cup Water
One fourth cup (or more) sugar
1 cup Chopped fresh rhubarb *
2 tablespoon Water
Three fourths teaspoon Arrowroot
2 To 3 Tbl red currant jelly

PASTRY

Creme fraiche or sour cream

* A 10ounce package of thawed frozen rhubarb can be substituted. Drain
well, reserving juices; substitute juice for water in filling. Measure 1
cup rhubarb, reserving remainder for another use.

FOR PASTRY: Combine flour, walnuts, and sugar in medium bowl. Cut in
butter until mixture resembles coarse meal. Blend in water just until dough
holds together. Wrap dough in plastic and refrigerate thoroughly.

Preheat oven to 350 F. Roll dough out on lightly floured surface to
thickness of 1/8 inch. Cut out two 4 1/2inch fircles. Fit into two 3 1/2
inch round tart pans. Trim edges of dough even with edge of pan. Prick
bottom with fork. Bake until crisp and lightly browned, about 25 minutes.
Let cool.

FOR FILLING: Combine 1/3 cup water and One fourth cup sugar in medium saucepan
over low heat. Add rhubarb, cover and bring to simmer, stirring gently
once or twice. Cook just until rhubarb is tender, about 3 to 5 minutes.
Drain, reserving liquid. Taste and adjust sweetness of the rhubarb, adding
more sugar if desired. Return liquid ro pan.

Mix 2 tablespoons water with arrowroot. Blend into rhubarb cooking liquid.
Place over low heat and stir gently until thickened and clear, about 5
minutes. Add rhubarb. Let cool.

Spoon filling into tart shells. Melt jelly over very low heat. Spoon or
brush evenly over filling. Refrigerate tarts until ready to serve. Top each
with a dollop of creme fraiche or sour cream.

Makes 2 servings.

[ Cooking with Bon Appetit; Pies and Tarts; Knapp, 1986 ]

From Gemini's MASSIVE MealMaster collection at www.synapse.com/~gemini