Mincemeat Tart with Apple annd Streusel Topping

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...It stands to reason that those who make and preserve mincemeat would have plans to use it. That's pretty much the case here, save for this one tart. I never plan to make it, but it always ends up on our table, You see, Bob and I are of two minds when it comes to desserts like this. He loves them and I don't. Don't get me wrong, I love mincemeat, but I have a barely sweet tooth and find this particular pie almost treacly in its sweetness. I snipped the recipe from Family Circle magazine some thirty years ago, but I suspect is roots are firmly planted in the kitchens of Mennonite and Amish communities. On reflection, it is very much like the Funeral Pie I featured here several months ago. Over the years, less and less mincemeat seems to make it into the jars that are sold for the holidays. There was a time when a jar could make a lovely 9-inch pie, but when you shave an ounce here and an ounce there, pies that are suppose to celebrate abundance get mighty stingy. I'm convinced that the apples and streusel that are piled onto this tart were devised to camouflage the scant amount of filling in the pie shell. The original recipe called for piling apples onto the mincemeat and then covering them with streusel. It was a bit of a mess to look at , so I decided to use spirals of overlapping apple slices and less of the streusel topping. It's still awfully sweet , too sweet for my tastes, but at least it looks more planned and festive. I use two, rather than the three, apples called for in the original recipe and I cut the streusel ingredients in half. Those among you who love mincemeat and highly sweetened desserts will love this tart. Here's the recipe.

Mincemeat Tart with Apples and Streusel Topping...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite inspired by Family Circle magazine

Ingredients:
1 unbaked pastry shell for a 9-inch pie or tart pan
2 cups homemade or bottled mincemeat
2 apples, pared cored and thinly sliced
6 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons butter

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Line a pie or tart pan with pastry.
2) Spread mincemeat evenly in pie shell. Place apples in a medium bowl. Add lemon juice and granulated sugar and toss to coat. Spread in an overlapping pattern of concentric rings on top of mincemeat filling.
3) Combine flour and brown sugar in a small bowl. Cut in butter until coarse crumbs form. Sprinkle over apples.
4) Place pie or tart pan on a baking sheet to catch spills. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes. Yield: 6 to 8 servings.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Mince Pies - The English Kitchen
Mincemeat Gingerbread - Cooking with K
Mincemeat - Felice in the Kitchen
Christmas Flavor Ice Cream - Antics of a Cycling Cook
Cranberry Port Mincemeat Brioche Rolls - What's for Lunch Honey?
Funeral Pie - One Perfect Bite
Green Tomato Mincemeat - One Perfect Bite

Potato Tart

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I've been looking for something that I could serve with eggs on a leisurely Sunday morning. This creation is basically a breakfast pizza that uses thin sliced potatoes as its crust. The concept of potato pizzas is not new, and the ingredients used to make them are as varied as the cooks who assemble them. I've used the most simple of ingredients to assemble mine and this particular version is much like an Italian tomato pie. I have another version that uses ingredients associated with Mexican cooking for a pie with a more south of the border flair. The basic difference between the two is the type of cheese and sausage used to assemble the pie. This is not the easiest of dishes to prepare. It requires a lot of peeling, slicing and dicing that will be off-putting to some, but much of the work can be done prior to assembly if a little care is taken with ingredient storage. The potatoes are the real culprit. They'll begin to oxidize and turn gray soon after they're sliced. I've found this can be prevented if they are covered with acidulated water and refrigerated. Simply add a tablespoon of lemon juice to the water covering the potatoes to hold graying at bay. The potatoes and tomatoes must be as dry as possible before they are baked. I use a mandolin to slice the potatoes. It's not necessary to slice them this way, but you will get more uniform slices if the proper equipment is used. When I make this tart, I prepare all the ingredients ahead of time and don't do any assembly until I'm ready to begin cooking. I have a friend who assembles and cooks the tart the night before she plans to serve it. She reheats it a microwave just before serving. I must admit it tastes just fine when prepared this way, but color and texture are affected. Bob and I had this for a late breakfast this morning. I topped our slices with eggs, fried for him and poached for me. It was a quite pleasant way to begin the day. Here's the base recipe.

Potato Tart...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 pound smoked garlic sausage, thinly sliced
1 pound Idaho potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
1-1/2 pounds Roma tomatoes, cut in 1/2-inch slices
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoons coarsely cracked black pepper
1-1/4 cups shredded Provolone cheese
1/4 cup Grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Spray a 9 x 13 x 2-inch pan with nonstick spray. Set aside.
2) Heat oil in a 12-inch skillet. Add sausage and cook for 3 minutes, turning occasionally. Remove from pan with slotted spoon and transfer to paper toweling to drain. Working in batches, add potatoes and cook until tender and lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Remove from skillet and spread in prepared baking pan. Top with sausage. Cover with sliced tomatoes. Sprinkle with oregano and salt and pepper. Spread grated cheeses over tomato layer.
3) Bake for 25 minutes. Let sit for 10 minutes before cutting into serving pieces. Transfer carefully to individual plates. Yield: 4 to 6 servings.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Potatoes Anna - One Perfect Bite
Savory Roasted Potatoes for a Crowd - One Perfect Bite
Caramelized Potatoes - One Perfect Bite