When receiving this month’s Vintage Redo/Swap Recipe for Jelly Cake, I was a bit stumped about how I wanted to reinterpret this recipe. It’s been hot in Colorado and my interest in cooking has fled for the season. I’m happy to grill, compile, to blend and occasionally sauté, though any other culinary descriptors are out of my repertoire for the moment. This realization gave way to a madcap idea to try: Strawberry Tart on the Grill. I will say it worked, was delicious, with faint tones of pop tarts from my youth.
I’ve mentioned that we have a beautiful organic farm in Brighton Colorado (about 45 minutes from Boulder) that has several ‘pick your own’ items during the growing season. I trekked out there about 10 days ago for the end of the early strawberry season, emerging with 18 pints of perfectly ripe berries. There is nothing that tastes like a ripe handpicked strawberry and tasting them reminds me that despite the appearance in stores, store bought berries are just not the same. I knew I wanted to feature that in my swap recipe.
The recipe development journey was humorous and I’ll share the recipe with some ‘notes from the test kitchen’ experience.
Grilled Strawberry Tart – Step-by-Step
STEP 1: Heat the gas grill to medium and allow to heat to around 300-350 degrees. This will cook with the indirect method, using only the outer burners.
STEP 2: Prepare heavy duty aluminum foil by making a double thick square (can fold or use two sheets) with about 5 extra inches on each side past the edge of the pie crust (there may be filling seepage and this allow you to bend up the edges so it won’t run into your grill). Lightly butter the foil where the pie crust will be.
STEP 3: In a small bowl combine the arrowroot starch and sugar. In a second bowl, place the strawberries. Pour the sugar/starch mixture over the berries and toss to combine and coat the berries.
STEP 4: 4. Roll out pie crusts to each be approximately 12 inches in diameter and about ¼ inch thick. Place the first crust on the buttered foil. Place the berries in the middle of the pie crust allowing about 1 inch of space on the edges to seal the two crusts. Add the second crust on top, pinch together the edges. Gently prick a fork around the top crust to allow steam to escape.
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This was a ‘test kitchen’ photo of my impromptu addition of the frozen pie shell to the top. Though it all worked applying a non-frozen pie shell works much better!
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STEP 5: Place in the center of the heated grill and close the lid. Watch the temperature to stay close to 300-350 degrees. Check the tart periodically. It should cook in about 35 to 45 minutes and begin to slightly brown on the top.
Pricking the top crust will allow the steam to escape and avoid cracking as happened in my ‘test tart’!
STEP 6: Remove from grill (I turned off the grill and slid a pizza pan underneath mine to support it). Allow to cool, cut and serve! I felt the flavor was best with around room temperature. Would be great with vanilla ice cream.
This turned out delicious and has been enjoyed both as dessert and breakfast!
STRAWBERRY TART ON THE GRILL
Ingredients
- 2 pie crusts homemade or store bought (regular or gluten-free)
- 4 cups strawberries hulled and cut in half (or quarters if extra large)
- ½ cup sugar
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch or arrowroot starch for thickening
Instructions
- Heat the gas grill to medium and allow to heat to around 300-350 degrees. This will cook with the indirect method, using only the outer burners.
- Prepare heavy duty aluminum foil by making a double thick square (can fold or use two sheets) with about 5 extra inches on each side past the edge of the pie crust (there may be filling seepage and this allow you to bend up the edges so it won’t run into your grill). Lightly butter the foil where the pie crust will be.
- In a small bowl combine the arrowroot starch and sugar. In a second bowl, place the strawberries. Pour the sugar/starch mixture over the berries and toss to combine and coat the berries.
- Roll out pie crusts to each be approximately 12 inches in diameter and about ¼ inch thick. Place the first crust on the buttered foil. Place the berries in the middle of the pie crust allowing about 1 inch of space on the edges to seal the two crusts. Add the second crust on top, pinch together the edges. Gently prick a fork around the top crust to allow steam to escape.
- This was a ‘test kitchen’ photo of my impromptu addition of the frozen pie shell to the top. Though it all worked applying a non-frozen pie shell works much better!
- Place in the center of the heated grill and close the lid. Watch the temperature to stay close to 300-350 degrees. Check the tart periodically. It should cook in about 35 to 45 minutes and begin to slightly brown on the top.
- Pricking the top crust will allow the steam to escape and avoid cracking as happened in my ‘test tart’!
- Remove from grill (I turned off the grill and slid a pizza pan underneath mine to support it). Allow to cool, cut and serve! I felt the flavor was best with around room temperature. Would be great with vanilla ice cream.
Stephanie says
Very clever and sounds great together.