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Raspberries and almonds are so delicious together, especially when freshly picked ruby red berries are combined with almond paste in a crispy phyllo pastry and served with whipped cream. Phyllo which means “leaf” in Greek, where it was born, are tissue paper-thin like sheets of dough made from flour, water and a bit of oil. It can be found in the frozen section of the grocery store or freshly made from specialty stores. Thaw frozen phyllo in the refrigerator, and when working with it, keep unused phyllo covered with plastic wrap and a lightly dampened cloth because it dries out quickly! If you have extra, it can be refrozen; simply roll up, cover with plastic wrap or place in an airtight plastic bag and put back into its container.
PIE RECIPE HELP
INGREDIENTS
10 sheets phyllo dough, thawed
1/2 cup almond paste
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup finely ground and lightly toasted blanched almonds; toast, grind, measure
3 tablespoons sugar
5 tablespoons melted butter
4 (24-ounce total) small baskets (6 oz. each) raspberries
3/4 cup seedless raspberry or red currant jelly
Whipped cream, garnish
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Place the oven shelf in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F.
2. In a medium-size bowl, break almond paste into small pieces. In a food processor or with a hand-held mixer, blend almond paste and eggs until smooth. Add flour and softened butter. Process until fairly smooth (some lumps may remain). Set aside.
3. In a small bowl, combine ground almonds and sugar; set aside.
4. Take out 10 sheets of phyllo dough and return the rest to the freezer. Using the top of a 10-inch tart pan with removable sides as a guide, cut a circle from the phyllo stack. Keep the unused phyllo covered with plastic wrap and a lightly dampened cloth
Brush the interior of the tart pan lightly with melted butter, place a piece of parchment paper in the bottom, and brush again with melted butter.
5. Place 1 sheet of phyllo in the tart pan and press into the bottom of the pan, making sure the unused phyllo are covered. With a pastry brush, gently brush with some of the melted butter, starting on the inside and working towards the edges.
Sprinkle with some of the ground almond mixture. Stack another sheet of phyllo over the buttered sheet, and butter again. Repeat with remaining 8 sheets of phyllo.
6. Spread the almond paste mixture evenly over the stacked phyllo in pan. Set tart pan on a baking sheet and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until crust is golden brown. Cool for 30 minutes on a wire cake rack and then remove sides from pan. Cool to room temperature.
7. Arrange a single layer of raspberries over crust. Heat and stir jelly until just melted. Using a pastry brush, brush tops of berries with melted jelly. Cool.
Garnish with whipped cream. Serve immediately
STORAGE
Keeps for a day or two, without whipped cream, in the refrigerator. Phyllo desserts tend to get soggy as they sit.
