Rhubarb Freeform Tart

When we went to the markets on the weekend I came home with a freshly picked bunch of rhubarb for the small sum of  $3.  My family doesn't mind rhubarb but I remember fondly having it as a child, stewed with homemade custard, so dessert was going to be a special treat for me. I went searching for a recipe and found this one and decided to give it a try.  It was good timing making this dessert because Miss 13 bought herself an ice-cream maker and wanted to try it out.  There was lots of people in the kitchen that night busily doing their bit for dessert.  It was nice little treat to have dessert during the week, usually dessert is reserved just for the weekend. I would recommend giving it a go, it was super easy and I loved the rustic look to it.

Pastry
1¼ cups plain flour
2 tablespoons sugar
80g butter chilled
Iced water
1 egg white, lightly beaten

Filling
1 orange, rind removed with a vegetable peeler (I used a zester)
1 bunch of rhubarb, washed trimmed and cut into 2cm lengths (make sure you discard the leaves as they are poisonous)
3 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla essence

1. Preheat the oven to 220℃.
2. To make the pastry, combine flour and sugar in a bowl.  Using your fingertips, rub in butter until mixture resembles bread crumbs.  Add enough iced water to mix to a dough.  Bring together with your fingertips and knead briefly on a lightly floured surface until smooth.  Shape the dough into a disc and cover completely in plastic wrap.  Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
3. To make the filling, remove any white pith from the rind using a small sharp knife and cut into thin strips. (You could grate it if you prefer or use a zester) Combine rind with rhubarb, 1 tablespoon of the sugar and the vanilla essence.
4. Roll out pastry to a 28cm round trimming edges if necessary.  Transfer to a baking tray and brush with some of the egg white.  Spread the rhubarb evenly over the pastry, leaving a 5cm border.  Fold the pastry border back over the fruit to cover slightly, pleating to fit. Brush pastry with remaining egg white and sprinkle with sugar.
5. Bake in a preheated oven for 30-35 minutes or until pastry is golden and rhubarb is tender.  Stand on tray for 5 minutes before serving with cream or homemade ice-cream.

Wishing all of you a sunny Saturday.  I'm off to catch up with a friend tomorrow, I can't wait.  It's been 2 years since we've seen each other, she's been my friend since we were both 15 years old, wow has time flown by.....