Vlaai - Limburg Pie - More Dutch pastry

Vlaai (pronounced like fly with a "V" instead of an "F" is a traditional pie or tart from the Province of Limburg in the southern part of the Netherlands.

There are many varieties - rice, cherry, white chocolate, apple and rum, crumb, gooseberry, kruimel, etc - one of the most popular is apricot.

Directions:
Sift 4 C of flour with a pinch of salt into a large mixing bowl. Warm 2/3 C of milk. Cream 3/4 oz. of fresh yeast with the milk in a small bowl. Leave in a warm place until it becomes frothy.

Make a hollow in the mound of flour and pour in the creamed yeast. Stir the yeast mixture into the flour. Add 1 large beaten egg. Add 1/2 C melted butter and 1/2 C of sugar and knead to a soft dough which easily comes away from the sides of the bowl.

Shape the dough into a ball, cover the container with a damp cloth and leave for about 1 hour in a warm place until the dough is well risen.

Preheat oven to 450 F.

Lightly grease two large flat flan tins or tart pans. Knead the risen dough on a lightly floured work surface and use it to line the tart pans. Cover the dough with about 2 lbs of apricot compote (spreadable fruit works well) and garnish with 16 apricot halves fresh or tinned (the former being preferable, of course. Bake for 15 to 25 minutes in the center of the oven. Cool the vlaai on a wire cooling rack and serve with whipped cream if desired.

Variation:
This special vlaai can also be decorated with a lattice of pastry. Use slightly less dough for the base of the vlaai and cover the fruit compote with a lattice of pastry strips approximately 1/2 inch thick. Use apple or cherry compote as a filling instead of apricots if desired, and garnish with fresh fruit to concur. If fresh fruit is not available, use a commercial fruit pie filling.

This Limburg pie is a favorite with my family!

Sounds yummy and fun!

Thank you for posting this recipe.
Many years ago here there was a French Lady, I think here name was Madeline, I have her cook book around here some wheres. She cooked for PBS TV.
1 recipe she had was for a tart also using a yeast dough. the tart was very much like a fruit pizza.
I remember making it and in the ingredients for the dough were also spices like cinnamon. The crust also had a nice amount of sugar in it.
When I had made it I recall topping it decoratively with sliced plums, pears, apples and I think cranberries due to the time of year that it had been. The fruit slices had been after being arranged over the crust been brushed with a simple syrup.
After baking, it was served just like a pizza but topped with some fresh whipped cream.

The Ironic Chef said:

Thank you for posting this recipe.
Many years ago here there was a French Lady, I think here name was Madeline, I have her cook book around here some wheres. She cooked for PBS TV.
1 recipe she had was for a tart also using a yeast dough. the tart was very much like a fruit pizza.
I remember making it and in the ingredients for the dough were also spices like cinnamon. The crust also had a nice amount of sugar in it.
When I had made it I recall topping it decoratively with sliced plums, pears, apples and I think cranberries due to the time of year that it had been. The fruit slices had been after being arranged over the crust been brushed with a simple syrup.
After baking, it was served just like a pizza but topped with some fresh whipped cream.

Click to expand...

Yum IC! Only thing that would make this even better would be a dab of kippered salmon sprinkled about on it.

The Ironic Chef said:

Thank you for posting this recipe.
Many years ago here there was a French Lady, I think here name was Madeline, I have her cook book around here some wheres. She cooked for PBS TV.
1 recipe she had was for a tart also using a yeast dough. the tart was very much like a fruit pizza.
I remember making it and in the ingredients for the dough were also spices like cinnamon. The crust also had a nice amount of sugar in it.
When I had made it I recall topping it decoratively with sliced plums, pears, apples and I think cranberries due to the time of year that it had been. The fruit slices had been after being arranged over the crust been brushed with a simple syrup.
After baking, it was served just like a pizza but topped with some fresh whipped cream.

Click to expand...

Hello - This sounds very much like the first "homemade" Vlaai I ever ate as a small child - my mother made it with fresh fruit and used several spices in it as well. With the advanced technology in cooking and the invention of such things as "spreadable fruit" I think my Dutch ancestors got lazy and went with the Vlaai that is made in today's Dutch kitchens!

Kevin - your idea may have some merit.......for anyone with Grizzley ancestors! Somehow I just can't fathom mixing salmon and pie together in one dish........................................

Katiecooks said:

Hello - This sounds very much like the first "homemade" Vlaai I ever ate as a small child - my mother made it with fresh fruit and used several spices in it as well. With the advanced technology in cooking and the invention of such things as "spreadable fruit" I think my Dutch ancestors got lazy and went with the Vlaai that is made in today's Dutch kitchens!

Kevin - your idea may have some merit.......for anyone with Grizzley ancestors! Somehow I just can't fathom mixing salmon and pie together in one dish........................................

Click to expand...

Oh- all you people that have such little faith in salmon! Salmon is the new bologna- there's a place for it everywhere! I even add a little w/ my squeeze of lemon into a tall glass of iced tea!

chubbyalaskagriz said:

Oh- all you people that have such little faith in salmon! Salmon is the new bologna- there's a place for it everywhere! I even add a little w/ my squeeze of lemon into a tall glass of iced tea!

Click to expand...

Kevin - Don't be so quick to assume salmon isn't a big hit at my house - we live with four Siamese housemates who love nothing quite so much as sharing a couple of cans of red salmon for a special treat. However, the idea of a slice of salmon in iced tea didn't go over too well with my husband who's an iced tea fanatic. He puts away close to a gallon per day - every day. Needless to say, he will never suffer from ulcers - his stomach is well tanned!
By the way, we loved the photo of the bear with the (need I say it?) salmon in it's mouth!

Kevin, I got a notice from the Forum that I had a message on this thread from you but you didn't say anything. Sorry!