AT THE LEUCADIA MARKET THIS PAST SUNDAY I OFFERED

Strawberry mascarpone tarts with nutella..Can it get anymore decadent than that??

I was looking for a recipe with an Italian twist for the strawberries that are so bountiful right now in San Diego, and here it is. -I found it on
SimplyRecipes.com. I used a traditional sweet pastry crust and for more deliciousness, I spread nutella on the crust, then added the mascarpone cheese mixture on top of that!


* 1 recipe pie dough
OR

* 1 sheet of puff pastry, thawed
* 1 egg, whisked


Filling and Glaze

* 2 lbs strawberries, stemmed and quartered
* 1/2 cup granulated sugar
* 1 Tbsp orange zest, divided
* 1 teaspoon lemon juice
* 12 ounces mascarpone cheese (can also use 8 ounces mascarpone mixed in with 4 ounces of ricotta or 4 ounces of whipped cream)
* 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
* 1/3 cup confectioner's sugar (powdered sugar)
* 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar (substitute a teaspoon of lemon juice if you don't have balsamic)

Method

1a Using Pie Dough Roll out the pie dough and line a 10-inch tart pan with the dough. Prick the bottom of the shell all over with the tines of a fork. Freeze for 20 minutes. Preheat oven to 375°F. Line the tart shell with aluminum foil or parchment paper. Fill at least two-thirds with pie weights - dried beans, rice, or ceramic or metal pie weights. Bake initially for 15 minutes, then remove from oven, let cool enough to handle, and remove the aluminum foil or parchment paper and pie weights. Return to oven and cook until lightly browned at the edges, about 20 more minutes. Let cool completely.

1b Using Puff Pastry Roll out puff pastry sheet to 15x5 inches or 12x12 inches. Place on a baking sheet. Fold the edges over to form a border. Prick bottom of pasty with tines of a fork. Chill for 20 minutes. Preheat oven to 400°F. Use a pastry brush to brush on egg wash over exposed surfaces. Place in hot oven and cook until nicely browned all over, about 15 minutes. Remove from oven to a rack, let cool completely.

2 Gently combine strawberries, half of the orange zest, and the granulated sugar in large bowl so that the strawberries are coated with sugar. Let sit to macerate for 30 minutes.

3 Mix together the mascarpone cheese, confectioner's sugar, the remaining orange zest, lemon juice and the vanilla in a medium bowl until well combined. Refrigerate until needed.

4 After the strawberries have macerated for 30 minutes, place a sieve over a bowl and drain the liquid out of the strawberry mixture into the bowl. Take that strawberry liquid and put it in a small saucepan. Add a tablespoon of balsamic vinegar to the saucepan, and bring to a boil on medium high heat. Boil until the liquid has reduced to the consistency of syrup, remove from heat and let cool.

5 Assemble the tart. Spread the mascarpone mixture over the bottom of the tart shell. Arrange the strawberries on top of the mascarpone mixture. Use a pastry brush to brush on the balsamic glaze.

Serves 6 to 8.