Sunburst Nectarine Tart🍑🌞

“Well, isn’t that special?” Not sure why I’m conjuring up the Church Lady from SNL, but I imagine her taking one look at me holding this tart and being a passive aggressive bitch about it. I swear I don’t know why, but it’s making me giggle as I type. Which indeed makes it special😀😋. I love rolling out these free form tarts. It’s a kick to use my rolling pin; it makes me feel old school. I’m covered in flour, pounding out dough, and it makes me happy. This tart is quite easy to make. You make the dough, chill it for an hour so it firms up, then roll it out and fill it with thin overlapping layers of sliced fruit. I use pears or apples in the winter/autumn, and stone fruit in the summer. I love using nectarines. Their tartness relaxes in the oven, and the pretty yellow color is so summery like a little burst of 🌞. Nectarines, peaches, and plums are such a treat. I wait all year for them, especially the sweeter white ones.

During my first pregnancy I had an insane craving for white peaches. Alas, it was January, and I was in Brooklyn at the time. Not exactly land of farm fresh produce. My mother in law, of blessed memory, went searching for some. I think she managed to find a few, if memory serves (though it may not since my nausea rendered me non functioning). The other noteworthy craving I had during that pregnancy was a Fluffernutter sandwich. That was a one time thing but the craving was so strong I’d have battled Isis to get one. Bottom line: them bitches be crazy. But I digress, as per usual.

Another kitchen tool I love using is my pizza wheel cutter. This circular tart gets cut into wedges and eaten utensil free, which makes it perfect for a picnic🍴🚫. If baking for a crowd go ahead and make a few varieties. The different wedges on a platter would look so colorful and pretty🍎🍐🍑🍓🍏.

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup flour

1/4 tsp sugar

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1/4 cup ice water

3/4 tsp vanilla extract

2 nectarines thinly sliced

One beaten egg

Directions:

Mix flour, sugar, salt, and half the oil in a bowl until resembles meal.  Add remaining oil and mix well.  Add water and vanilla.  Mix well and roll into a ball and chill for one hour.

Roll out dough into a  15" circle on a flat floured surface and place on a baking sheet.

After tart dough is rolled out, brush egg wash on the middle, leaving a two inch border. Sprinkle sugar on egg wash base. Layer fruit slices one on top of the other, making a circular pattern with the skin all facing one side. Fold two inch dough border over the edges of the fruit, pinching with wet fingers to enclose. Brush dough border with egg wash and sprinkle with sugar. Bake for 30 minutes on 400. Slice into wedges when cool.