European Plum Pie Food

ITALIAN PLUM TART

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a 9-inch springform pan and place it on a sheet pan. Place the plums, tapioca, creme de cassis, and 3/4 cup of the sugar in a mixing bowl and stir to combine. Allow to sit for 15 minutes. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and remaining 1 cup of sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy. In a small bowl, combine the flour, cinnamon, salt, and baking powder. With the mixer on low, gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture until it forms small, dry crumbs. Add 1 tablespoon of cold water and continue to beat for about 30 seconds, until the mixture forms large, moist crumbs. Set aside 3/4 cup of the crumb mixture and pour the rest into the springform pan. With floured hands, lightly pat the dough evenly in the bottom of the pan and 1 inch up the sides. Arrange the plums in concentric circles on the crust. Sprinkle the remaining crumb mixture evenly on top. Bake for 1 hour, until the fruit is bubbling and the crust is golden. Cool for 15 minutes, then remove the sides of the pan and serve warm or at room temperature.

ITALIAN PLUM TART (TARTE AUX QUETSCHES)

Steps:

• To make the crust, pulse the flour, sugar, salt, and butter or margarine together in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade until crumbled. Then add the egg yolk, and pulse until the dough comes together.
• Put the dough in the center of an ungreased 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Dust your fingers with flour, and gently press out the dough to cover the bottom and sides of the pan. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees, and bake the crust for 10 minutes. Reduce the oven to 375 degrees, and bake for another 5 minutes. Remove the crust from the oven, and let cool slightly. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees.
• Mix the jam with the brandy in a small bowl, and spread over the bottom of the crust. Pit the plums, and cut them into four pieces each. Starting at the outside, arrange the plums in a circle so that all the pieces overlap, creating concentric circles that wind into the center of the pan. Sprinkle with the cinnamon and lemon zest.
• Return the tart to the oven, and bake for about 30 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the plums are juicy. Remove the tart from the oven, sprinkle on the sugar, and serve warm or at room temperature.

PERFECT PLUM PIE

Steps:

• In bowl, combine first 6 ingredients; pour into pastry shell.
• For topping, combine sugar, flour, cinnamon and nutmeg.
• Cut in margarine until coarse.
• Sprinkle over plums.
• Bake in preheated 375 degree oven for 60 minutes or until golden brown.
• (May need to cover crust edges with foil during baking to prevent burning.).

RUSTIC PLUM PIE

Steps:

• Make dough:
• Cut butter into bits and in a bowl with a pastry blender or in a food processor blend or pulse together with, flour, sugar, and salt until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add 2 tablespoons ice water and toss or pulse until incorporated. Add enough remaining ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, tossing with a fork or pulsing to incorporate, to form a dough. Gather dough into a ball. On a work surface smear dough with heel of hand in 3 or 4 forward motions to make dough easier to work with. Form dough into a ball and flatten into a disk. Chill dough, wrapped in plastic wrap, 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 375°F.
• Make filling:
• Halve and pit plums. Cut plums into 3/4-inch-thick wedges and in a bowl toss with sugar, cornstarch, and lemon juice.
• On a lightly floured surface with floured rolling pin roll out dough into an 11-inch round (about 1/8 inch thick). Transfer dough to a 9-inch (1-quart) glass pie plate. (Do not trim overhang.) Spoon filling into shell and fold edge of dough over filling, leaving center uncovered. Bake pie in middle of oven 35 minutes. Brush crust with milk and sprinkle with sugar. Bake pie 10 minutes more, or until filling is bubbling and crust is golden. Cool pie on a rack.

EASY AS PLUM PIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
• Place one pie crust into a 9"pie dish.
• Wash plums, do not peel.
• Cut plums in half remove pit, then into quarters.
• Arrange plums in the pie crust.
• Mix together the dry ingredients, then sprinkle over the plums.
• Dot with the butter.
• Place top crust over plums, trim crust edges with enough to turn under, then crimp crust edge.
• Cut about 6 1" slits into the top of the pie.
• Bake at 450 degrees for 12 minutes, reduce heat to 325 degrees, bake 25 minutes longer or until plums are tender.
• Cool, serve warm or cold.