Tender Apple Pastries / Mürbe Apfelschnitten

These are, quite simply, the best I have ever tasted in a long and varied career of enjoying apple pastries! The pastry is unlike any other I know. An Austrian woman I knew over 20 years ago gave me the recipe after I raved over it; it can be used to make all sorts of things but my favorite is this apple version. I made them today and my husband is still swooning...
Don't freak out because there is yeast in the recipe. You don't really allow it to rise much, if at all, but it adds something irreplaceable to the flavor and texture. Best eaten still warm, but wonderful at room temperature as well. Chilling does the flavor no favors.


Ingredients for pastry:
400g / 14 ounces plain flour
Pinch of salt
200g / 7 ounces cold, unsalted butter
2 large egg yolks, at room temperature
2 TBS warm milk
2 TBS sugar
2 tsp. dry yeast OR 1/2 cube live baker's yeast cake

How to make it:
In a small bowl, whisk together warm milk and sugar. Crumble 1/2 the yeast cake into this, or sprinkle the dry yeast over, and stir well. Set aside in a warm place to proof (it should foam up a bit) while doing the next step.
In a larger bowl, stir together the flour and salt.
Grate the cold butter into this mixture using the large holes of a cheese grater, tossing so each bit gets coated. (This is a fabulous Austrian trick for incorporating butter into dough.) Alternatively, cut it in finely with a pastry cutter or 2 knives.
When the yeast mixture has proofed, whisk the 2 egg yolks lightly and stir them into the yeast mixture.
Dump all this over the flour mixture and, with your hands, quickly work into a smooth dough.
Divide dough in half and press 1/2 of it evenly into a shallow 9"x14" (25cm x 35cm) baking pan.
Set aside the other half.

Ingredients for the apple filling:
3 large apples (preferably a firmish sort)
2 TBS sugar
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
2 TBS dry breadcrumbs
(1 1/2 TBS cream + 1 tsp. sugar) - near the end of baking

How to make it:
Sprinkle bottom crust evenly with breadcrumbs.
Peel, core and grate the apples.
Toss them with the sugar and cinnamon and spread evenly over the breadcrumbs, right to the edges of the pastry.
Roll out remaining half of pastry and cut off any overlapping edges. Tuck the pastry in to seal the apple juices inside.
Prick top layer all over evenly with a fork.
Now start to preheat your oven to 170°C / 325°F, and let the pastry stand in a warm place for 15 minutes. It may rise just a bit.
Whisk together the cream and sugar but don't use it yet.
Bake in the center of the oven for 30-35 minutes or until light golden brown.
Remove from oven and brush with cream and sugar mixture.
Return to oven for another 10 minutes or until dry and richly golden brown.
Cool for at least 20 minutes before eating, with or without whipped cream.
You can also sprinkle powdered sugar over the top for a "company" effect. Do this just before serving.

Moroccan Lamb, Almond & Apricot Tagine

This is a really lovely meal-- truly delicious and very little work. After browning things in a pan, you whack it in the oven and forget about it. Serve with couscous, bulgur or the simple rice recipe included here. Serves 4 if you have a nice vegetable dish on the side.


Ingredients for tagine:
2 TBS olive oil
500g/1 lb., 2 oz. lamb neck or shoulder, cut into chunks (not too small; 1 1/2-2" is good)
1 large onion, peeled and chopped coarsely
1 clove garlic, pressed or chopped finely
1 tsp. ground ginger, or grate some fresh
1 cinnamon stick or 2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 bay leaf
8-10 oz. lamb, beef or chicken broth
75g/2 1/4 oz. blanched whole almonds
100g/3 1/2 oz. dried apricots, halved or quartered
1 TBS thick dark honey

How to make it:
Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F.
Heat the oil hot in a large frying pan and brown the lamb, in 2 batches to prevent crowding, for 2-3 minutes. Remove with slotted spoon and place in an ovenproof casserole with a tight-fitting lid.
Turn the heat to medium and add onion to pan. Cook 2-3 minutes or until softened but not browned.
Add garlic, ginger, cinnamon stick, and bay leaf and and cook 1-2 minutes longer.
Pour this over the lamb, stir, and add the almonds and apricots.
Add just enough broth to barely cover the lamb. Cover tightly and bake for 1 hr., or until lamb is fork-tender. Drizzle honey over tagine and serve over turmeric rice or the other options above.

Ingredients for turmeric rice:
200g/7 oz. long-grain rice
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. turmeric
Juice of 1 lemon

How to make it:
Cook rice according to usual directions, adding salt and turmeric powder to the cooking water.
Drain well and stir in the lemon juice just before serving.
Sprinkle with fresh chopped cilantro or parsley leaves, if desired.