Pistachio Apricot Tart Filling

Jubal Harshaw's Note:

I first had this recipe at a friend of mine's house in New Orleans. It came from HOW TO BAKE by Nick Malgieri.

• Total Time: 45 mins
• Prep Time: 45 mins
• Cook Time: 0 mins

Ingredients:

Yield: 1 tart

• 1 cup unsalted shelled pistachio
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• 2 eggs
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• 12 medium apricots , washed halved and pitted
• 1 cup apricot preserves or 1 cup apricot jam
• 2 tablespoons water or 2 tablespoons white rum

Directions:

1. Prepare and chill 1 recipe of Sweet Tart Dough.
2. Place pistachios in a saucepan and cover with water.
3. Bring to a boil over medium heat, drain the pistachios into a strainer and pour into a clean kitchen towel.
4. Fold towel over and rub pistachios to loosen the skins, then carefully separate the kernels from the skins and discard the skins.
5. Set aside 1/4 cup of pistachios to chop for garnish, and place the rest of the pistachios and the sugar in a food processor fitted with a metal blade.
6. Pulse on and off repeatedly until the mixture is finely ground, about one minute.
7. Add the almond extract and one of the eggs, then pulse until the mixture becomes a smooth paste.
8. Divide the butter into eight pieces then add to the work bowl and pulse until the butter is smoothly combined with the nut mixture.
9. Scrape down the inside with a spatula, add the remaining egg and pulse until smooth.
10. Allow the food processor to run for 30 seconds and scrape down the inside of the bowl.
11. Add the flour and pulse until just incorporated, then set aside.
12. Set a rack at the lowest level of the oven and preheat to 350°F.
13. Roll out the dough and line a chilled tart pan.
14. Spread the pistachio filling on the dough.
15. Arrange the apricots, cut side up, on the filling in 2 or 3 concentric circles depending on the size of the apricots.
16. Bake the tart for about 35 minutes, until the crust and the filling are baked through and the apricots are cooked.
17. Cool the tart on a rack.
18. To make the glaze, bring the preserves and water or rum to a boil and strain.
19. Reduce to thicken if necessary.
20. Brush the hot glaze over the cooled tart, and edge with the chopped reserved pistachios.
21. Unmold the tart as normal.