Honey Pistachio Tart : Hannakah Special

Ingredients :

1. 1/2 cup sugar
2. 1/4 cup honey
3. 1/4 cup water
4. 1-1/2 cups chopped pistachio nuts, toasted
5. 1/2 cup mixed dried fruit bits
6. 1/4 cup orange juice
7. 2 cups all-purpose flour
8. 1/4 teaspoon salt
9. 2/3 cup vegetable shortening
10. 1 egg
11. 1/4 cup cold water
12. 1 beaten egg yolk
13. Coarse sugar

Directions :

• For filling, in a medium saucepan stir together sugar, honey, and 1/4 cup water. Bring to boiling, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Reduce heat to medium-low. Gently simmer, uncovered, 15 minutes or until a light caramel color, stirring occasionally. Stir in pistachios, fruit, and orange juice. Return to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes or until mixture is slightly thickened, stirring occasionally. Set aside.
• For egg pastry, in a large mixing bowl combine flour and salt. Cut in shortening until mixture is the size of small peas. In a small bowl beat together egg and the 1/4 cup cold water. Add egg mixture to flour mixture. Using a fork, toss until dry ingredients are moistened. Divide dough in half. Form each half into a ball.
• Slightly flatten one ball of egg pastry into a rectangle. On a lightly floured surface roll dough into a 16x6-inch rectangle. Wrap around a rolling pin. Unroll onto a 13-1/2x4-inch oblong tart pan with a removable bottom. Ease pastry into pan, pressing it up the fluted sides. Trim pastry even with top edge of pan. Spoon filling evenly into crust.
• For top pastry, roll out remaining pastry ball into a 10-inch square. Using a fluted pastry wheel, cut into 1/2-inch-wide strips. Weave strips diagonally across top of filling for a lattice. Press ends into rim of pan. Brush egg yolk over lattice top and sprinkle with sugar.
• Bake in a 375 degree F oven about 35 minutes or until top is golden. (If parts of crust brown more quickly, cover with foil.) Cool in pan on a wire rack. Remove sides from pan. Makes 8 to 12 servings.

Thanks to ESTHER J for this recipe.