So yesterday, my house was flying with kids - friends, neighbors, and my own. Kids were coming and going, enjoying the second-to-last day of summer vacation. I ran around in the morning buying produce, restocking the pantry, and then making a few batches of soup to get us through the hectic week.

Then, there was a rare and blessed lull. The house was suddenly quiet - kids playing happily outdoors, baby napping. I decided to do what any sane person would do. I baked a tart.

I chose this one because it looked super simple (it was) and super delicious (it was).

I managed to get the pie into the oven in TEN minutes flat. Literally. But the ironic thing was this. As I put the tart into the oven, the doorbell rang. It was a neighbor coming to pick up her son. She saw the hot gloves on my hands, smelled the pie in the oven, and said "My, you sure are gourmet. You've got time to bake on a hectic Sunday?"

The irony was that I am very much not gourmet these days. And I truly don't have time to bake on Sundays. Why do I feel defensive when people accuse me of having extra time on my hands?? "This was easy!" I felt like saying. "It only took a few minutes. It was so simple that even I was able to fit into to my hassled life."

Instead I smiled and let her believe that I live a relaxed lifestyle. Wasn't that big of me?

Peach Tart, adapted just a tad from Food 52
The original recipe calls for whole milk and butter, but I wanted a dairy-free version so I used almond milk and margarine instead. Feel free to use the real-deal if you prefer. 

1 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons flour
3/4 teaspoons kosher salt
3/4 cups plus 1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 cup vegetable or canola oil
1/4 cup mild olive oil
2 tablespoons almond milk
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
2 tablespoons cold margarine or butter
3 large ripe peaches, pitted and thickly sliced (about 1/2-inch wide)

Preheat the oven to 425*. Line the bottom shelf with a piece of foil or a baking sheet; this will protect the oven from dripping juice while the tart is baking. 

Now, make the dough. In a mixing bowl, stir together 1 1/2 cups flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon sugar. In a separate bowl, whisk together the oils, milk and almond extract. Pour this mixture into the flour mixture and mix gently with a fork. Be sure not to overwork it. 

Transfer the dough to a tart pan (I used a 12-inch but a 10- or 11-inch would have been better). Press down on the dough with your fingers till it covers the bottom of the pan.

Next, make the crumb topping. In a separate bowl, combine 3/4 cup sugar, 2 tablespoons flour, 1/4 teaspoon salt and the margarine. Use your fingers or a pastry cutter to cut the margarine into the dry ingredients until the mix is crumbly.
Now, assemble your tart. Start on the outside and arrange the peaches in a concentric circle over the pastry. Sprinkle all of the crumb topping over top. 

Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, until shiny, thick bubbles are erupting from the fruit and the crust is beginning to brown. Cool on a rack. Serve warm or room temperature. (It's also really nice as leftovers, eaten right from the fridge. Even right out of the pan. Trust me.)

This recipe was published on Culinary Kosher!