I know that strawberries don't seem like a likely contender for a late winter tart. But it turns out that winter is strawberry season in Israel. I have been buying them by the bushel at the shuk (market), where they are available in big, beautiful masses. If you want to get into some interesting and confusing food politics, they come from Gaza (apparently along with other berries, peppers, and flowers that are allowed through the blockade) to bring a little sunshine to this pseudo winter. <br /> <br />While the strawberries are perfect on their own, I had eaten my fill and still had the remainder of my kilo (that’s 2.2 pounds, folks) and didn’t want to risk them going bad. Even a little. I had some frozen puff pastry on hand and wanted a simple recipe that would highlight the fresh flavor of the strawberries. I found a recipe for a strawberry mascarpone tart with balsamic that served as the inspiration for the dessert I ended up making. This would be an ideal recipe for summer since it barely requires turning the oven on (just to lightly brown the crust). <br /> <br />The ricotta filling, flavored with orange zest and vanilla, was reminiscent of a canoli and the macerated strawberries provided the perfect topping. The crust can be totally free form. The tart is a light end to any meal, great for breakfast, just right in summer, and an unexpected treat in winter.

Share: