Cold Blueberry Tart
- ½ lb shortcrust pastry dough
- ¾ lb blueberries
- 1 oz gelatin
- 1 lb ricotta cheese
- 7 oz whipped cream
- 7 oz sugar
- 1 cup white wine , sweet
- 2 oz almonds , peeled
- 1 pinch vanilla powder (or vanilla extract)
- 1 tablespoon butter
Roll out the shortcrust pastry using a rolling pin and, after obtaining a sheet, use it to line a buttered, circular oven-dish. Trim off the dough that comes over the rim of the receptacle and prick the base with the tongs of a fork.
Cover with a sheet of parchment paper and fill with dry beans so that the crust doesnāt bubble during cooking. Bake in a preheated oven at 350Ā°F for 10-12 minutes. When done, remove from the oven and remove the beans and parchment paper. Let cool.
Wash the blueberries for 15-20 seconds and drain. Place a small pot with the wine and 1 tbsp sugar on the stove. Stir and as soon as it begins to boil, add the blueberries. Put the gelatin in hot water and leave to soften for a couple of minutes.
In the meanwhile, whisk together the ricotta with the remaining sugar and vanillin. Once creamy, add the whipped cream and stir carefully. Add the blueberries and gelatin, well wrung out.
Mix everything together carefully and use it to fill the tart crust.
Put the tart into the fridge to chill for a couple of hours. Serve cold sprinkled with almond slivers.
Food History
Blueberries, together with wild strawberries, are some of the most popular ingredients for making cakes and tarts. Blueberries have long been growing in northern Europe and along the Alpine ridge, but they were also used by the ancient Romans in medicine or cosmetics. Dioscorides, a Roman physician who lived during the time of Nerone, prescribed blueberries to patients with dysentery, while the rich Roman matrons would bathe in blueberry leave tea in order to intensify their tan. Nordic populations, like the Celtics and Galli, not only ate blueberries, but also used their juice as a fabric dye. In the Middle Ages, blueberries were believed to be an excellent cure for intestinal trouble and until the end of the 18th century doctors thought of blueberries were a panacea. And during World War II, in order to frighten the Germans, the British military spread the rumor that English pilots were able to see enemy plans even when flying in the dark due to a diet rich in blueberries that improved their night vision.
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