Prepare the cookie shell.

We will need a 10-inch diameter fluted tart pan.

Crush the cookies into powder. We can use a powerful blender or put the cookies in a sturdy food bag (bags that contain cornflakes work well) and pound them with a rolling pin.

Transfer the cookie powder to a tall and large container.

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat on the smallest burner.

When the butter is melted, take a teaspoon and use it to brush the inside of the pan. Then dust the inside of the pan with a level tablespoon of wheat flour or rice flour for the gluten-free version.

Finely grate the zest of a lemon or an orange.

Half of the grated zest will be mixed with the crushed cookies. Then pour the hot melted butter and stir with a wooden spoon until the butter is completely absorbed.

Set aside 3 oz of butter-soaked cookie powder to use later.

Transfer the remaining mixture to the greased mold and with patience and delicacy form the base (about a quarter of an inch thick) and create the edges. I use my hands to make the edges and a meat pounder to flatten the base.

Once done, place the pan in a cake holder or gently cover the surface with cling film and put it in the fridge to set.

Prepare the apples

I used Annurca apples typical of my land, which are dry (i.e., they do not release excessive vegetable liquid when cooked with sugar), sweet, and slightly tart.

You can use any type of apple you like, and if you are unsure whether your chosen apples might release too much juice during cooking, brush the inside with a bit of egg white before filling the tart, which will make it impermeable.

Wash them, peel them, and remove the hard and woody central part with the seeds. You can slice the apples very thinly or cut them into cubes, as you prefer.

Add the remaining grated citrus zest to the apples, a tablespoon of brown sugar, and a pinch of cinnamon, mix thoroughly to distribute the spices evenly, and fill the tart, which in the meantime, you will have taken out of the fridge.

Try to fill the empty spaces with apple slices or pieces.

Now we’ll take care of the last step that will make the cookie tart with apples even more delicious, namely sprinkle the surface of the dessert evenly with the cookie mixture we set aside.

Since this is not a dessert that needs to rise, we can bake it starting from a cold oven.

Bake the tart at mid-height, set the oven to 350°F, with heat only from below, and let it bake for about 20-25 minutes at most.

If your oven bakes simultaneously from above and below, set the temperature to 340°F, and if the surface darkens too much, cover it with baking paper, removing it 5 minutes before finishing the baking.

It’s a delicate dessert, so I recommend cutting it only when it is completely cold.

An extra idea. This tart as made is delicious on its own, there is no need to enrich it with creams or sauces, but if you really want to make it even more special, you can accompany it with some semi-whipped fresh cream, scoops of ice cream, or semi-thick custard.

Bon appetit