Rhubarb Tarts

Remember how I admitted that I can't grow anything?
I lied.
There is one plant that does not die under my loving, ever-present care and that is rhubarb.

While this miracle may be because I don't actually touch the plants and they just do their own thing, I still regard it as a miracle and thank whatever power at large that inspired this feat.

Right before I chop the miracle plants down to reap their benefits.




Rhubarb Tart (From Bon Appetit)

1/4 c cranberry juice cocktail
3 Tbsp sugar
2 Tbsp seedless raspberry jam
40 1/4 inch slices of fresh rhubarb
12 sheets Phyllo dough, thawed
1/2 c unsalted butter, melted
Finely grated orange peel
Lightly sweetened whipped cream

- Stir the cranberry juice, 1 tbsp sugar and jam in a heavy large skillet, heat until the sugar and jam has dissolved. Remove from heat
- Arrange the rhubarb in a single layer in the skillet, cook over medium low heat, 1 min per side of rhubarb. Remove from heat and let cool.
- Preheat oven to 400,
- Put 3 sheets of phyllo (see Hannah's Tips for Phyllo below), on the work surface, brush butter and sprinkle sugar over the sheet. Fold in half and then again, hamburger style both times, to create a rectangle. Cut off the gross edges and place on a baking sheet. Repeat with the other phyllo sheets to create 4 tarts.
- Overlap the rhubarb slices (10 per tart) on the phyllo, leaving a crust.
- Add the remaining 1 Tbsp of jam to the syrup in the skillet, heat until the jam is dissolved and brush over the tarts.
- Bake the tarts for 15-18 mins, until the crust is brown. The syrup will burn a little if it gets on the baking sheet. Let cool on a rack before serving.

Working with Phyllo (tested and retested by Hannah)- It is a headache.
1. Make sure it is thawed- a couple of days in the fridge and 2 hours at room temp before you work with it.
2. Dampen a kitchen towel, lay it on the work surface, unroll the phyllo (all of the sheets, even if you're only using a couple), lay it on the towel (make sure that the plastic that it comes in touches the towel.
3. Put plastic wrap over the exposed phyllo, cover with a damp towel.
4. Make sure that the phyllo's exposure is limited, it dries out really quickly.
5. When you get pissed at it, remember that a. it's a dough and really not out to ruin your life, and b. no one really cares what the final product looks like, as long as the blood, sweat and tears that went into it isn't visible.

The phyllo in it's damp towel snuggle

Spinning:
Sage Francis- Personal Journals.
And you all thought you had my music tastes pegged.