Longtime TABLE contributor Quelcy Kogel has strong feelings about pie. And she’d like to empower you in the same direction, all day long, with pie for every meal. Here’s her dessert recommendation, but please enjoy the full menu for breakfast, lunch and dessert, as well!

Simple Strawberry Tart 

 
Ingredients

Crust

1 cup white whole wheat flour or unbleached all-purpose flour

1 cup oat flour 

16 tbsp. (2 sticks) unsalted butter, chilled

4 to 5 tbsp. cold water

1 egg, lightly beaten

Raw cane sugar for dusting the top crust

Filling

16 oz. fresh strawberries (about 2 cups sliced)

3 tbsp. coconut sugar

1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice

2 tbsp. arrowroot starch, cornstarch, or tapioca flour

To Serve

Homemade whipped cream or vanilla ice cream

Fresh mint

Instructions

For the Crust

In a large bowl, whisk together the flours. Scatter the butter pieces over the top, and work with a pastry blender, or your fingers, to combine, until the mixture resembles gravel, with lots of butter chunks the size of large peas.

Drizzle the chilled water over the flour mixture, 1 tbsp. at a time, tossing the dough with a rubber spatula to moisten evenly. Add just enough liquid for the dough to hold together when you give it a squeeze, and add it directly to the dry floury bits that like to hang out on the bottom of the bowl.

Working The Dough

Knead the dough in the bowl 10 to 20 times to bring it together. Dump the dough onto the counter or a cutting board, and drag portions of the dough across the counter with the heel of your hand (this makes the mixture come together and yields a flakier dough). Gather the dough into a ball (a metal bench scraper helps). Flatten the dough into a disc, wrap it loosely in plastic or beeswax wrap. Chill the dough for 30 minutes.

For extra-flaky crust

On a lightly floured surface, roll the chilled dough disk into a rectangle that is about ¼-inch thick. Fold it in thirds like you’re folding a letter, then roll up from a skinny end into a loose spiral. Gently press to flatten it slightly, and chill for 30 minutes. 

Optional

For extra, extra flake, repeat this step once more.

Shape the Crust

Remove the dough from the fridge, unwrap it, and place on a lightly floured surface. 

Roll it into a rectangle, of 1/4-inch thickness, slightly larger than the rectangular tart pan. Carefully transfer the dough to the pan, and trim the edges. Chill the tart pan for 30 minutes. 

For a decorative top crust design

Gather and roll out the remaining dough and use a small knife to carve your artwork. Brush with the egg wash and sprinkle with the sugar. Set aside to chill. 

For the Filling

In a medium mixing bowl, stir together the sliced strawberries, coconut sugar, vanilla, lemon juice and arrowroot starch until combined. Let sit at room temperature while the crust mixture is chilling. After the crust has chilled, arrange the sliced strawberries in the pan.

To Bake

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Bake the pie base for 20 minutes, then carefully remove from the oven and add the top design pieces. Continue to bake for 20 minutes, until the strawberry filling is set, and the top crust design is golden brown. Remove from the oven, and transfer to a cooling rack. 

To Serve

Serve with homemade whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Garnish with fresh mint, and enjoy!

Yield: 4.5 x 14-inch rectangular tart, or a 9-inch pie 

STORY, PHOTOGRAPHY AND STYLING BY QUELCY KOGEL

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