What to cook? Nora Ephron’s choices included leek and potato soup, chicken breasts with cream sauce and Ephron’s recipe for Chasen’s chili. (Jennifer Altman / For The Times)
Julia Childs apple tart recipe is less complicated than many recipes in Mastering the Art of French Cooking: Volume One. The director and reporter John Horn, background, still changed it. (Jennifer Altman / For The Times)
Peel, core and slice about eight crisp, tart apples. Mix with a tablespoon of lemon juice and two tablespoons of sugar. Set aside. (Jennifer Altman / For The Times)
Ephron suggested using store-bought pastry dough. That seemed criminal. So Nora and John decided to make their pastry from scratch. (Jennifer Altman / For The Times)
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Cooks Illustrated magazine has the best pastry dough recipe. Pulse 2 1/2 cups of flour with one teaspoon salt and two tablespoons of sugar. (Jennifer Altman / For The Times)
Thoroughly pulse in 12 tablespoons of cold butter and 1/4 cup cold vegetable shortening. Because Ephron didnt have any Crisco, the pair used more butter. (Jennifer Altman / For The Times)
Put the dough into a bowl, and sprinkle over it 1/4 cup ice water and 1/4 cup cold vodka. Be sure to add the liquid slowly so the dough doesn’t get too wet. (Jennifer Altman / For The Times)
Put the dough between floured waxed paper and roll into the desired shape; the pair’s was a rough circle. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet. (Jennifer Altman / For The Times)
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Bake the crust for 10 minutes in a 400-degree oven. Remove it from the oven and spread 2 cups of store-bought applesauce (dont tell Julia that you didnt make it!) over the top. (Jennifer Altman / For The Times)
Arrange thinly sliced apples atop the applesauce, overlapping them. Pour 1 cup of apricot jam into a fine strainer, drizzling the juice over the apples. (Jennifer Altman / For The Times)
Place the tart back into a 400-degree oven. Set the timer for 40 minutes. Have a cold glass of French rose, and relax. The dishes can wait. (Jennifer Altman / For The Times)
A watched pot never boils, and the tart didnt want to cook, either. So have some more rose, and check on the tart every 10 minutes. (Jennifer Altman / For The Times)
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Remove the tart from the oven and let it cool the apples are molten! Child recommends serving the dessert with heavy cream. Vanilla ice cream would be equally good and easier. (Jennifer Altman / For The Times)
