Zest of 1 lemon

Pinch of salt

1 pound washed and dried fresh blueberries

For the tart:

1 large egg, well beaten

1 pint French vanilla ice cream (optional)

1. Prepare the pastry. Place the flour, salt and sugar in a food processor fitted with a metal blade and process for about 5 seconds. Add the butter and a few tablespoons of water, and process until you have a crumb-like texture, about 5 to 10 seconds.

2. Pat the dough into a round form for easy rolling. If using pastry flour, continue immediately. If using all-purpose flour, refrigerate, covered for half hour. (If you are using prepared dough, defrost per instructions, making sure to push together any cracks.)

3. Place a 10-inch diameter removable bottom disc of a springform or removable tart pan on a foil covered heavy baking sheet with a rim. (You won't need the sides of the springform or tart pan for this freeform tart.) On a floured surface, roll out the homemade or packaged pastry into a round that is 13 inches in diameter. Roll the pastry back onto the rolling pin and transfer it to the tart bottom round, laying the dough flat to cover the round with a 3- inch border overlap all around on the baking sheet. Refrigerate while making the filling.

4. Preheat the oven to 400 F. In a medium mixing bowl, combine 1/3 cup sugar, 1 tablespoon flour, the lemon zest, salt and blueberries, and mix to coat the berries. Remove the tart from the refrigerator, and sprinkle 1 tablespoon sugar and 1 tablespoon flour evenly over the center of the crust. Arrange the fruit mixture in the center of the pastry, and then fold about 3 inches of the pastry edges up around the fruit, making pleats, to look like a free-form tart. Brush the pastry with beaten egg and evenly sprinkle the remaining sugar over the pastry and fruit.

5. Bake the tart for 40 to 45 minutes or until the fruit filling is bubbling and the crust is caramelized. Let cool at least 20 minutes on a wire rack. Slide the tart pan bottom to a serving platter. Slice, and serve with ice cream.

Recipe note: If you do not want to make the crust from scratch, use Trader Joe's frozen pie crust or another pre-made crust of your choice.

Advanced preparation: This dessert can be made up to 8 hours ahead and kept at room temperature. Serve room temperature or reheat in the oven.

(Diane Rossen Worthington is an authority on new American cooking. She is the author of 18 cookbooks, including "Seriously Simple Parties," and a James Beard Award-winning radio show host. You can contact her at www.seriouslysimple.com.)