plum tart

There have been a lot of tarts around here, I know. Apricot, plum, lemon, peach, and now plum again. This particular version uses really fragile, juicy purple plums. The tapioca keeps the tart from being runny. You could also use those football shaped plums that started showing up in the NYC farm markets a couple weeks go. They are much firmer, easier to pit, and a lovely mustardy green. On the downside, they don’t have quite the perfection that comes with a messy fruit served at the height of ripeness.

Use your favorite tart crust recipe; try this or this. Whatever you use, there’s no need to prebake. In this case the plums and dough make magic, as, through the power of baking, they become one.

Plum Tart

10-12 plums, pitted and cut into quarters
4 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons ground tapioca
1/4 teaspoon salt
pinch of nutmeg

1 round of tart dough

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Combine the plums, sugar, tapioca, salt, and nutmeg. Set aside while the oven preheats and you prepare the crust.

Roll the tart dough out on a floured section of parchment paper. Fold and then gently press into a buttered tart pan. Starting in the center, push the plums into the crust skin side down in a spiral. Finish with a squeeze of lemon and a liberal sprinkle of sugar.

Place on a cookie sheet and cook until the crust is golden and the plums are bubbly. Let the tart cool for at least a half hour.

Serve with a dollop of the best whipped cream you’ve ever had.