Crust:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. salt
6 Tbsps. cold, unsalted butter, cut in 1/2 -inch chunks
1 large egg yolk (reserve the white)
3-5 tsps. ice water
Filling:
2 cups raspberries or blueberries
3 Tbsps. sugar
2 tsps. cornstarch

To make crust: Heat oven to 425 degrees. In food processor, combine flour and salt. Add butter, pulsing until mixture resembles coarse meal. Slowly add egg yolk and water, 1 tsp. at a time; process just until dough clumps together and begins to form a ball. Gather dough and place on a section of flour-dusted plastic wrap. Flatten into a disk about 6 inches wide. Place another piece of plastic wrap, floured-side down, on dough. With a rolling pin, flatten into even 11- to 12-inch round; lift and smooth plastic wrap and continue rolling, as needed.
To fill tart: Remove top sheet or wrap and invert dough into baking sheet lined with cooking parchment. Remove remaining plastic wrap. Place berries in center of pastry, leaving a 2-inch border. In a small bowl, mix sugar and cornstarch. Sprinkle 3 Tbsps. of the mixture evenly over the fruit. Gently fold edges of pastry over the berries, pleating edges; leave an opening 4 to 6 inches wide in the center. Brush pastry with reserved egg white from crust. Sprinkle pastry lightly with remaining sugar mixture.
Bake tart on the bottom rack of the 425-degree oven until crust is golden and juices bubble, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool on pan at least 15 minutes. While it's still warm, use a wide spatula to loosen tart from pan. Transfer to serving platter, cut into wedges and serve warm or cool.

For Francophile cooks or those looking for more of a challenge, consider making Tartelettes aux Framboises, a delicacy from the Provence region of France.


Tartelettes aux Framboises (Warm Raspberry Tartlets)

Pate Sablee (Sweet and Crumbly Pastry Dough), recipe

1/3 cup raspberry jam, melted and strained, or black- or red-currant jelly
2 Tbsps. water
1 1/2 cups ( 3/4 pint) fresh or thawed frozen raspberries

Butter and flour eight 4-inch round tartlet pans. Arrange the pans close together on a work surface. Roll out the dough on a floured surface to a rectangle about one-quarter-inch thick. Wrap the dough around the rolling pin, then unroll it over the pans, letting it drape loosely into the pans. Press the dough into the corners of the pans. Roll the pin over the tops of the pans to trim the dough. With your fingers, press the dough up the sides of each pan. Prick the tartlet shells all over with a fork about every one-half inch. Chill until firm, at least 30 minutes. If the sheet of dough doesn't cover all the tartlet pans, gather the dough scraps, reroll, line the remaining pans, and chill.
Heat oven to 400 degrees.
Blind bake the tartlets: Line the tartlet shells with foil and fill almost to the top with dried beans. Set the pans on a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes. Remove the foil and beans and continue baking until the shells just begin to brown and are fully cooked, 8 to 12 minutes.
While the shells bake, make the Glaze In a small saucepan, stir together the jam or jelly and the water. Bring to a boil and simmer gently for 3 minutes.
Remove the tartlet shells from the oven and from their pans. Snugly fit the raspberries, stem-side down, into the warm shells. While the tartlets are still warm, brush the raspberries with melted jam or jelly. Serve warm.

Pate Sablee (Sweet and Crumbly Pastry Dough)

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
8 Tbsps. (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 egg yolk
3 to 4 Tbsps. ice water

Whir the flour, sugar and salt in a food processor until mixed. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the egg yolk and the lesser amount of water and pulse until the dough holds together when you pinch it with your fingers. Add another tablespoon of water if the dough looks too dry. Press it into a ball and knead it on a floured work surface for 1 or 2 minutes. Transfer the dough to wax paper, flatten it into a disc, wrap well and chill until firm, at least 1 hour. Makes one 10- to 11-inch tart shell.

From " Backroad Bistros, Farmhouse Fare: A French Country cookbook", by Jane Sigal, Doubleday.