Foie Gras and Apricot Tartlet The Food & Wine Magazine Classic at Aspen, June 2003 Makes 40 to 50 tartlets This recipe will make more dough than needed. You'll find it easier to work with the ingredients if you make the full recipe. For the Olive Oil Dough (makes 120 tart shells): 1/2 cup all-purpose flour 1/2 cup soft wheat flour, type 00 Salt 2 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 3 tablespoons cold water 1.   Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. 2.   Put the all purpose flour, wheat flour and salt in a large bowl and mix until combined. Add the oil and water and mix until combined. Transfer to a floured work surface and knead the dough until smooth and elastic, 5 to 7 minutes. 3.   Prepare a parchment-lined baking sheet and set aside. Set the smooth rollers of a pasta machine at the widest setting. Flatten the unwrapped piece of dough into a rectangle and dust with all-purpose flour, then feed through the rollers. Turn the dial to the next (narrower) setting and feed the dough through. Continue to feed the dough through, making the space between the rollers narrower each time, until the second-to-last setting is used. (If the dough gets too long, cut it in half and roll each piece separately.) Cut the dough in half and place the dough onto the prepared baking sheet. 4.   Arrange twenty 1 7/8- by 1- by 3/8-inch rectangular tartelette molds close together on a work surface and drape a piece of the rolled-out dough over the molds. Lightly press the dough into the molds. Roll a lightly floured rolling pin over the molds to cut the dough. Repeat with the remaining dough. Weight with empty molds or line them with foil or parchment paper and fill with rice or beans. Place the molds onto a baking sheet. Bake until light golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Cool the shells in their molds on a rack for 10 minutes, then remove from the molds and cool completely. (The tartelette shells can be made one day ahead and kept stored in an airtight container.) For the Apricot Coulis: 3 apricots, halved and pitted 1/4 cup water 2 tablespoons sugar (the amount of sugar needed will depend on the sweetness of the apricots) Place the apricots, water, and sugar into a small pot and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until the apricots begin to render their juice. Let the apricots cook, stirring occasionally, until they lose their form, and form a thick purée. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve. Set aside to cool. For the Foie Gras Mousse and Assembly of Tart: 5 ounces foie gras terrine* 5 to 6 tablespoons heavy cream Salt and freshly ground white pepper Apricots, halved, pitted and thinly sliced 1.   Using a rubber spatula, push the foie gras through a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl. Using a whisk, slowly add the heavy cream, while mixing rapidly, to the foie gras and mix until well combined. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Place in an airtight container and refrigerate for 1 hour. 2.   Fill a pastry bag fitted with a ¼-inch round tip with the foie gras mousse. Pipe the mousse into each tartlet and garnish with the apricot coulis and a slice of fresh apricot. *can be purchased through D'Artagnan at www.dartagnan.com. Back to top