Free-Form Apple Tart

from Sis. Burdges

I love this because it reminds me of German desserts.

Ingredients:
1 1/4 C all-purpose flour
1/2 C cold butter/margarine cut into 10 pieces
3 T ice water
1/2 tsp finely grated fresh lemon peel
4 large Golden Delicious apples (about 1 1/2 lbs) peeled, I used 3
1/4 C granulated sugar
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
2 T butter/margarine
Confectioners' sugar (optional)

Directions:
1. Have ready a cookie sheet without sides

2. To make pastry in food processor: process flour and butter until coarse and crumbly. With motor running add water, lemon peel, and juice. Process until dough leaves sides of bowl.
To make pastry by hand: put flour in a bowl. Cut butter with pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add water, lemon peel, and juice. Stir until dough holds together.

3. Gather dough into a ball, flatten, wrap in waxed paper and refrigerate 30 min or just until firm enough to roll out.

4. Meanwhile cut each apple in half from top to bottom. Remove core and cut stem and bud ends. Turn halves cut sides down and slice thinly.

5. Heat oven to 425 F. On lightly floured surface roll dough into a 13-inch round (or on parchment paper to make transfer easier). Edges can be uneven. Transfer to ungreased cookie sheet.

6. Leaving a 2 inch border, arrange apples in concentric circles from outside toward the middle. Sprinkle with mixture of sugar and nutmeg mixed together. Then dot with butter. Fold edges of pastry over apples.

7. Bake 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 375 F and bake 35 minutes longer or until apples are tender and pastry is golden. Slide tart onto wire rack to cool. Before serving dust with confectioners' sugar.

Makes 6 servings.