This tart recipe takes a bit of planning, but I promise you it is so worth the effort. It is easily my most favourite recipe from all of 2019. It is light and refreshing, savoury and sweet, the texture is incredible, it’s all the things.
A few special tools/ingredients are recommended. First, a tart pan with a removable bottom, this will ensure your beautiful tart can put its best foot forward. Second, concord grape jelly, this isn’t easy to find. I’ll be making this again soon with regular grape jelly, I wonder if there will be much of a difference.
Serve with blue cheese, either on the side of shaved overtop. If blue cheese really isn’t your thing, then maybe try a cream goat cheese.
It comes together rather effortlessly if you spread the work out a little. The tart shell can be made 2 days ahead and kept in pans, loosely covered, at room temperature. Remove sides of tart pans before filling. The port glaze can be made 2 days ahead and chilled, covered. Reheat before proceeding. The tarts can be assembled 4 hours ahead.
Port-Glazed Grape Tart with Pecan Crust
For tart shells
1/4 cup pecans (1 oz), lightly toasted
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cups all-purpose flour
1 stick (1/2 cup) cold unsalted butter, cut into tablespoon pieces
½ tsp cinnamon
½ tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp salt
For grape filling
1 cups Ruby Port
¾ cup Concord grape jelly
1/4 teaspoon fresh lemon juice, or to taste
2.5 lb small red seedless grapes, stems discarded (6 cups)
Special Equipment
An 11 1/4- by 8- by 1-inch rectangular tart pans with removable bottom, or a 10-inch round fluted tart pan with removable bottom
Make tart shell:
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Pulse pecans with brown sugar in a food processor until finely ground (do not allow to become a paste). Add flour, butter, cinnamon, ginger, and salt and pulse until mixture begins to form large lumps. Dump mixture into your tart pan and press evenly over bottom and up sides with floured fingers. Chill until firm, about 30 minutes.
Bake tart shell in lower third of oven until golden brown, about 25 minutes. Transfer shell in pan to rack to cool completely. Carefully remove sides of pan, keeping shell on pan base.
Make filling while shells cool:
Simmer Port and jelly, stirring occasionally, until reduced to about 3/4 cups, about 30 minutes, then stir in lemon juice. Immediately toss grapes with 1/2 cup glaze in a large bowl until well coated, then mound in tart shell.
Just before serving, drizzle tarts with more glaze and serve remainder on the side.
