Rustic Blueberry-Lemon Tart from The Southern Pantry Cookbook

Do you hate to have to  run to the store every time you try to cook? It's easy to get lost or bogged down in substitutions when trying to pull off a complicated recipe when you just want to fix a great dinner without it taking up the while night. 

Now imagine the soul of your favorite family recipes updated and curated by an accomplished chef who understands how to help you put an amazing meal on the table in a flash -- that's the beauty of The Southern Pantry Cookbook (Thomas Nelson, 2014) by our  friend Jennifer Chandler. She makes crafting stylish Southern family meals simple, satisfying, and always delicious. Plus, her book is a beauty to behold -- it sports full-color photographs shot by me, The Chubby Vegetarian's Justin Fox Burks!

When we first got our hands on this book, we opened up the cabinets to see what matched up. There were so many possibilities, but this great dessert stood out to us because we have some beautiful Mississippi blueberries stowed away in the freezer. It's like summer all over again. 

The following is an excerpt from The Southern Pantry: 

Here’s an easy dessert you can make with this favorite summer berry.  Don’t fuss over the perfect crust. Instead whip up a rustic version that is meant to look a little rough around the edges. My family likes it warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side.

Rustic Blueberry-Lemon Tart

1 unbaked pie crust (9-inch), homemade or store-bought
2 1/2 cups blueberries, thawed if using frozen

Juice and zest of 1/2 lemon
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt
1 large egg, lightly beaten

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Roll the dough into a 10-inch round about 1/8-inch thick.  Transfer to a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl combine the blueberries, lemon juice and zest, 1/2 cup of the sugar, flour, cinnamon, and salt. Toss to coat. Fill the center of the pie crust with the blueberry mixture, leaving a 1 1/2-inch border. Fold the border up and over the blueberries, overlapping every 2 to 3 inches, to make a rim. Brush the rim with the egg wash and evenly sprinkle the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar over the rim.

Bake until the crust is nicely browned and the blueberries are bubbling, about 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool on a rack for 15 minutes before serving. Serve warm.

(Serves 8.)

Variation: Depending on what’s in season or what’s in your freezer, you can substitute apples, pears, and even peaches for the blueberries.