Dame Edith Evans' Red Raspberry Tart

Dame Edith Evans' Red Raspberry Tart

For Rough Puff Paste:
2 2/3 cups flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup each, chilled sweet butter and lard
1 tsp. lemon juice
About 1/2 cup ice water

Mix flour and salt in bowl. Cut fat (about size of walnut) in the flour, mix lightly with fork, keeping shortening intact. Combine lemon juice and ice water, add enough liquid to flour-fat mixture to form stiff paste. Knead lightly in bowl, forming ball. Roll in waxed paper, chill 10 minutes. Roll dough into long oblong on lightly floured board; fold it equally in thirds; half turn it so you have folded edges to the right and left. Roll out again; repeat twice. Chill 1/2 hour.

Cut off 2/3 of the dough, roll out 1/4 inch thick, cut circle (for bottom crust of a deep 8-inch, 2-quart casserole). Line casserole with lower crust. Roll out the rest of dough for upper crust allowing 2/3 inch for crust edge, cut a vent hole in center for the pie funnel. Chill crust while preparing fruit filling.

For the Filling:
6 cups red raspberries (or blueberries)
About 3/4 cup sugar (depending on acidity of fruit)
Scant 1/4 cup flour
1/2 pinch salt
2 tablespoons sweet butter
Egg yolk beaten with 1/2 tablespoon water

Wash fruit, drain on paper towel, pick over carefully. Place fruit in mixing bowl and sprinkle lightly with sugar, flour and salt. Mix well. Pour fruit mixture in casserole, dot with butter. Bury pie funnel (or a ceramic bird) in center filling. Put on upper crust allowing funnel to extend through vent hole. Seal lower and upper crust. Bake 30 minutes in preheated 450 degrees F. oven. Reduce to 350 degrees F. and continue baking about 30 minutes longer or until done. Brush top crust with egg to brown during last 1/2 hour. Serve warm with sweetened whipped cream, chilled sour cream or stirred custard. Serves 8.

For flavor accent, sweeten raspberries with vanilla sugar (made by putting slit vanilla beans in sugar bowl). If blueberries are used, sweeten with brown sugar, flavor with lemon juice and a hint of ground nutmeg or cinnamon.