Lemons- an all year round favorite- Lemon Crostata Tart with Cornmeal & Almond Flour Crust

I had Meyer lemons in my vegetable bin. Sitting there amidst some forlorn apples from a happy fall, now spring, this is what came to mind.  Besides using lemon wedges with fish, I thought lemon curd would be great as a jam or a filling in a tart.

It’s a keeper in the refrigerator for 1 month. Great on English muffins, biscotti or toast. This recipe a crostata,  is two step so you can do in advance. Dough and lemon curd-The dessert utilizes almond flour, which are pulverized almonds into a flour consistency. This is a higher  protein lower carbohydrate crust. Yes you can do it…Make a dough!  Here’s the recipe:

• 3/4 cup of almond flour (bought in a supermarket where rice flour and other flours are)
• 1  1/2 cups of flour
• 1/2 cup of cornmeal
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• 1  1/2 sticks or 12 teaspoons of  unsalted butter
• 4 tablespoons of sugar
• 3 tablespoons of ice water
• 1 teaspoon of lemon zest

Mix all ingredients together in a food processor except the ice water .

Pulse 5 -6 times until the mixture resembles tiny peas, and add the ice water a tablespoon at a time. Pulse another 2-3 times until the dough forms a semi solid mass like a ball but not as firm. Divide into 2 separate mounds of dough.  Place the mounds  on 2  separate waxed papers and place a layer of wax paper on top of each  dough.  Let dough rest for 1/2 an hour or up to 3 days in the refrigerator.

Roll out into 2 disks with a rolling pin keeping the waxed paper or saran wrap on the disks- cleaner that way! -until thin or 1/8 inch thick. Place on a cookie sheet and refrigerate for 1-3 hours. Now go shopping, pick up the kids or whatever.

Come back – make the lemon curd:

• 4 eggs
• 1 cup of sugar
• 2 tablespoons of butter
• zest of whole lemon zest
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup of lemon juice ( take a fork and turn it in the pulp of the lemon  )

Add the ingredients together in a saucepan and mix together until smooth. Turn on medium heat and cook for 5-10 minutes until custardy smooth and the back of the spoon is coated. Take off heat and cool.

Place the 1 disk of dough into a 9″ spring form pan and press with your fingers until smooth and up the sides of the pan about 2 inches. Pour the lemon curd into the pie crust.

Roll out the other disk and cut into strips and form a lattice top layer.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and cool. Serve with a dusting of confectioner’ s sugar if desired.