Chornytsya Platsok - Blueberry Tart

[Olga Drozd]

Chornytsya Platsok - Ukrainian - Blueberry Tart

You may serve this warm with sour cream lightly sweetened and flavoured with vanilla. Tastes good cold too. CRUST: 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour 1/3 cup granulated sugar 3/4 teaspoon baking powder Pinch salt 7 Tablespoons unsalted butter 1 large egg FILLING: 4 cups fresh blueberries 1 Tablespoon all purpose flour 1/3 cup seedless red raspberry preserves (damson plum is good too) You need a 9 to 91/2 inch springform pan - ungreased. Heat the oven to 350º F.

Put flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder into a medium size bowl.  Stir to mix well.  Cut up and add the butter.  Cut in with a pastry blender and/or rub in with your fingers, until the mixture is in coarse crumbs.  Add the egg. Stir with a fork or spoon until a smooth, well blended dough forms.  The dough should be tacky when pinched between fingers.

FOOD PROCESSOR METHOD FOR CRUST:  Put flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder into a food processor.  Process 1 second to mix.  Cut up and add the butter; process 3 or 4 seconds, until the mixture is crumbly.  Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl.  Bread the egg over the mixture.  Turn the machine on/off a few times, until a soft tacky dough forms.

Spread and/or pat the dough evenly over the bottom and about 1 1/2 inches up the sides of the ungreased pan. Refrigerate while you prepare the filling.

Pick over the blueberries, discarding any stems, leaves, or squashed berries.  Rinse and drain the berries; dry on paper towels.

Mix the flour and raspberry preserves in a medium size bowl. Fold in the berries.  Spread evenly in the crust.  Bake 55 to 60 minutes, or until the crust is lightly browned.  Remove from the oven and place the pan on a wire rack.  Loosen the edges of the tart with a knife and remove the sides of the pan.  Let the tart cool at least 1 hour before serving.  To store, cover loosely and refrigerate up to 1 day.  Does not freeze well.  Serves 6 to 8 or in my family 3.