Torta di Granturco e Frutta

Name: Torta di Granturco e Frutta (Italian Cornmeal Tart with Fruit)
Yield: Serves 8
Ingredients: 1 cup (all-purpose) flour; 4½ cups water; Zest of 1 lemon, stripped off with vegetable peeler; 4 medium Bose or French butter pears, peeled, halved, and cored; 1½ cups sugar; or 5 to 7 freestone peaches, peeled (see Note), halved, and pitted; 1 cinnamon stick; 1 teaspoon anise or fennel seeds; 6 peppercorns (optional); 10 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small bits; 2 large egg yolks; 1 tablespoon honey; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 1½ teaspoons grated lemon zest; 6 whole cloves; ⅔ cup sifted yellow cornmeal; ½ cup sugar; ½ teaspoon salt; or 25 medium or 13 very large fresh purple figs, pricked with a fork; 1 tablespoon heavy cream (optional); or 25 dried Black Mission figs; 1 large egg yolk (optional)

Italian Cornmeal Tart with Fruit

Preparation info

Serves
8

Difficulty
Complex

Appears in

The Mediterranean Kitchen

By Joyce Goldstein

Published 1998

About

This homespun tart is made with pears or dried figs in the winter and peaches or fresh figs in the summer. We usually accompany it with an ice cream that accents the flavor of the fruit. Vanilla, of course, is always right, but cinnamon, almond, hazelnut, or lemon works well too. A zabaglione ice cream might be the perfect garnish or simply a brandy-flavored whipped cream.

One of the greatest attributes of this tart, second only to its wonderful flavor, is its rustic appearance. The

Ingredients

Dessert
Pastry
Vegetarian
Summer
Winter

Ingredients

Method