Extra virgin olive oil is featured twice in this lovely lemon tart—in the crust and the filling. But if you’re short on time (or don’t own a tart pan), pour the lemony filling into a prepared graham cracker crust before baking.
Ingredients
For the crust:
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 5 tablespoons sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon table salt
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons water
For the filling:
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon table salt
- 3 large eggs, plus 3 additional egg yolks
- 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest
- 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice (about 3 lemons)
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Directions
Step 1
Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 350°F.
Step 2
Make the crust: Whisk the flour, sugar, and salt together in bowl. Add the oil and water and stir until the dough forms. (Do not overwork.) Using your hands, crumble three-fourths of the dough over the bottom of a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Press the dough to an even thickness in the bottom of the pan. Crumble the remaining dough and scatter it evenly around edge of the pan, then press the crumbled dough into the fluted rim to achieve an even thickness. Place the pan on a rimmed sheet pan and bake until the crust is golden brown and firm to the touch, 30 to 35 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through baking.
Step 3
About 5 minutes before the crust is finished baking, make the filling: Whisk the sugar, flour, and salt in a medium saucepan until combined. Whisk in the eggs and yolks until no streaks of egg remain. Whisk in the lemon zest and juice. Cook over medium-low heat, whisking constantly and scraping the sides and bottom of the saucepan, until the mixture thickens slightly and registers 160°F, 5 to 8 minutes.
Step 4
Off the heat, whisk in the olive oil until incorporated. Strain the curd through a fine-mesh strainer set over a bowl. Pour the curd into the warm tart shell.
Step 5
Bake until the filling is set and barely jiggles when the pan is shaken, 8 to 12 minutes. Let the tart cool completely on a wire rack, at least 2 hours. Remove the outer metal ring of the tart pan. Slide a thin metal spatula between the tart and the pan bottom, then carefully slide the tart onto a serving platter. Cut the tart into wedges, wiping the knife clean between cuts, if necessary, and serve.
Serves 8 — Recipe adapted from peteandgerrys.com