Their contents might just as easily have ended up in the rubbish or on a compost pile if it wasn’t for the generosity of Sam and the deep-seated reluctance weshare to see food go to waste.
For some reason, Sam, who is officially neither a farmer nor an orchardist, planted about 60 tomato plants for this season.
I think you’ll agree that, for someone not tasked with helping to fill the food requirements of the wider population, 60 tomato plants could be considered something of an overshoot.
Granted he likes the process of growing them — he says the regular tending, pruning, watering, and harvesting makes him happy — but still, 60 plants?
He is also a very sharing person as whatever he and his family and friends won’t be able to deal with gets spread around where it can be used and appreciated.
The box in the fridge contains some of Sam’s surplus tomatoes.
The box on the bench holds some of his bumper apple crop.
No-one involved is entirely sure what variety of apples they are, and I’m torn as to how to use them.
Apple jam is always nice, but our jam stores are pretty full at the moment.
Grated into muffins or a cake wouldn’t go astray.
Maybe a quick tarte tartin? Ooh, some Dutch oliebollen (think fruit-filled doughnuts dusted with icing sugar) will definitely make the dining table.
At the moment though, I’mfeeling tarty, so I turn to my two familiar and trustedfavourites – the Swisschueche and a tarteNormande from France.
- Kevin Gilbert is co-owner of Gilbert’s Fine Food in Dunedin.
If you have a question, email him at kevin@ gilbertsfinefood.co.nz
TARTE NORMANDE
Calvados is an apple brandy and is what turns an apple and almond tart into a tarte Normande. If you don’t want to use it, you can either swap out the calvados for brandy or leave it out altogether. If you’re not a fan of almonds, feel free to swap them with any other ground nut. If you need to leave nuts out altogether, replace them with 80g of extra flour.
Pastry
315g flour
250g butter
125g sugar
1 large egg
Method
1. Combine the butter and sugar — do not cream it together as this incorporates too much air.
2. Mix through egg and add flour.
3. Mix only until it comes together to form a dough.
4. Wrap in cling film and refrigerate.
Almond filling
100g butter
100g sugar
2 large eggs
100g ground almonds
100g flour
150ml cream
20ml calvados or brandy
2-3 apples
Method
1. Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
2. Add in the eggs one at a time beating well after each addition.
3. Add in the ground almonds and continue beating.
4. Scrape down the bowl making sure all the butter is away from the side before mixing in the cream, brandy and then the flour.
Now to put it together
1. Preheat the oven to 195degC.
2. Using a rolling pin, roll out the pastry to about 2mm thick.
3. Using whatever method you are comfortable with, line a low sided baking tray with the pastry. I used a 22cm flan tin.
4. Once the tin is lined and the excess pastry trimmed, fill the case with the almond filling and spread it out evenly with the back of a spoon. Make sure you add enough filling to be nearly at the top of the tin. No-one likes a scantily filled tart.
5. Core your chosen apples and slice each into 12-16 wedges. Arrange the slices on the top of the tart pushing them into the almond filling slightly.
6. Place a baking tray into the oven to heat up for about 10 minutes. Then slide the tart tin on to the tray and set the timer for 30 minutes. The heat from the tray will help cook the pastry bottom.
7. Check on the tart after around 20 minutes in case you need to turn it around to get an even bake. You know it is finished when the filling just under and around the apple slices is firm.
