Quince Tart
SERVES 8

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INGREDIENTS: Quinces have appeared on Middle Eastern tables for thousands of years. It is even accepted by many that the quince was actually the forbidden fruit eaten by Eve in the Garden of Eden. What did the First Lady of… well… everything know about quinces? Upon taking that fateful bite that made women all over the world labor through labor for the next 5000 years, she was probably enjoying the seductive perfume a Quince leaves if left at room temperature for a full day. She was also probably considering the pectin that Quinces have… a natural gelatin like thickening agent that makes great jams, jellies, preserves, and pies. 3 Large Quinces 2 Cinnamon Sticks 1.5 Cups Water 1.5 Cups Sugar Juice of one Lemon 2.5 Cups Flour 1 Cup Unsalted Butter, softened and cut into small pieces 2 Tbs. Sugar 3 Large Egg Yolks 1 Tbs. Ground Cinnamon Grated Zest of one Lemon Whipped Cream for Garnish What’s happened in the last several millennia to cause the modern American cook to stop utilizing the quince? Lack of proper advertising for one. The other is lack of convenience, for even though the quince looks like a pear externally and has flesh like an apple; it takes a good 45-minute bath in your poaching liquid of choice to render it edible. Folks have told me the flavor of quinces taste like a mixture of peaches, apricots, and pears… what do YOU think?

Method: -Peel and core the quinces (just like you would an apple). Cut the quinces into small cubes and set aside. -In a large, heavy bottomed saucepan, combine the water, sugar, cinnamon sticks, and lemon juice. Bring to a boil and add the quinces. Reduce to a simmer and cook about 1 hour, stirring occasionally until quinces are very soft. Remove the cinnamon sticks. -Allow to cool and puree in a blender or food processor. (At this point you will have made Quince Jelly… enjoy with crackers, cheese, or fruit and store in a sterilized mason jar if not using for tart filling) -To make the pastry: place the flour in a medium sized bowl and make a well in the center. Add the butter, the 2 Tbs. of sugar, egg yolks, ground cinnamon, and lemon zest. Using your fingers, knead to form a dough. Make a ball using 2/3rds of the dough, and another using the other third of dough. Wrap both in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes. -On a floured board, roll out the larger ball of dough into a 9” round and fit into an 8” fluted tart pan. Prick the tart dough with a fork, cover with parchment paper and pie weights (or dried beans) and bake in a 375F oven for 10 minutes. -Remove the parchment and pie weights and add the filling to the tart. Roll out the remaining dough ¼” thick and cut into 8” strips. Use the strips to form a lattice pattern on top of the tart, trimming dough when necessary. Return to the oven for 25 minutes. Serve at room temperature.

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