Malted Tarte au Fromage

Pale Spelt Pate Brisee Instructions

2 ¾ c (350g) all-purpose flour
¾ c (100g) pale stone-ground spelt flour
10oz or 300g butter, chilled and sliced thin
5oz or 150g water, cold
¾ tsp or 5 g salt

Add flour and cold, sliced butter to a bowl. Pinch the butter into the flour until the mixture is consistently crumbly. Dissolve the salt in the water and pour over the surface of the crumb mixture. Use your hands, a rubber spatula, or bowl scraper to work the mixture together with a series of quick folds. The goal is to create a uniform consistency with minimal handling. When done, wrap in plastic and chill for 20 minutes to overnight.

Have a pie or tart pan ready. To bake, turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Dust a rolling pin with flour and roll the dough out to just larger than the diameter of the pan, including the height of the pan walls, about 1/8” thick. Roll the dough round up with the rolling pin and transfer to the pan, unroll, and use your fingers to line the pan evenly with the dough. Drape the dough over the pan walls and use your rolling pin to “cut” the excess dough off by rolling over the pan walls. Prick the dough surface with a fork, chill until firm, then blind bake with baking beans for about 15 minutes in a 350F oven. Remove the beans and continue baking until light golden brown. Cool and prepare the filling.

Cheese filling Instructions

½ c sugar
¼ tsp salt
3 chicken eggs from Lindenhof Farm or 2 duck eggs small from your favorite market vendor
1 T stone ground pale spelt flour
14 oz. fromage blanc or ricotta (e.g. Haven Farmstead fromage blanc, Day Spring Farm ricotta)
2 oz. cultured cream (e.g. Fiddle Creek yogurt, Birchrun Hills farm crème fraiche)

To serve: seasonal fruit

Whisk the eggs, sugar, and salt until thoroughly combined. Fold in the cheese and cultured cream, then flour. Pour into the tart shell and bake for 30-40 minutes at 325F until just set in the center, and you begin to see some browning on the surface. Cool and serve at room temperature with seasonal fruit, fresh or roasted until saucy.