Quetschentaart, one of the classics of Luxembourgish baking. The simple fruit tart is a traditional autumn treat, and you’ll find it at bakeries across the country at this time of year. Plum tart is made with “Quetschen”, which translates into plum, but it’s not really exactly the same. Most of you will probably think of a plum as a round, dark reddish fruit, with a little round stone in the middle. While that’s perfectly correct, it’s not quite what we have in Luxembourg. Luxembourgish plums have a slightly elongated shape, they’re darker, almost deep purple, and they have a long, thin stone.
They are what the British call damson plums, and unfortunately, I find these quite hard to track down in Britain. Yes, some of you will say I should head to farmers’ markets, and I really should, but when the craving for this tart hit me, all I had was my local fruit and veg stall outside my tube station – and they only had plain, round, reddish plums.
So, I made the tart with these plums, and it still turned out amazingly well. Probably because the recipe’s really good. And how could it not be? It comes from the absolut bible of Luxembourg cookery – Ketty Thull.
This plum tart, or Quetschentaart, is just one of many traditional recipes featured in the Luxembourgish cookery bible Ketty Thull. Originally published in the mid 20th centruy, the book was recently given a contemporary makeover. Editions Schortgen republished the originl recipes with beautiful modern photography.
Ketty Thull really is the pillar of Luxembourg cookery. This is the book that newlyweds would get on their wedding day, so that the wife would know how to fill their husband’s belly with their favourite home-cooked foods.
These days, it’s the book most Luxembourgers would turn to for basic recipes such as mayonnaise, salad dressings and sauces or to find authentic recipes of our traditional Luxembourgish dishes. You’ll be able to discover Luxembourgish potato cakes (Gromperekichelcher), bean soup (Bouneschlupp), vol au vents filled with chicken (Paschteit) and Luxembourgish Cheesecake (Keistaart).
Cook Book Giveaway – This giveaway is now CLOSED
Cook Book Giveaway – And the Winners are…
Winner from Luxembourg (selected by Random.org):
Yves, who won with his additional entry, by liking Anne’s Kitchen on Facebook.
Winner from the rest of Europe and the UK (selected by Random.org):
My Cooking Factory
Congratulations to the winners.
_________________________________________________
I’m very excited to announce that two lucky readers will be able to get their hands on a copy of Ketty Thull. They can choose between a German or a French edition of the book – unfortunately there is no English version available.
In order to qualify for the giveaway you need to do the following:
- People from Luxembourg:
Just leave a comment on this post telling me what your favorite Luxembourgish dish is. Make sure you leave a valid email address on your entry.
- People from the rest of Europe and the UK:
Just leave a comment on this post telling me what your favorite dish from your country is. Make sure you leave a valid email address on your entry.
People are only allowed to comment once, but there are Additional Entries:
Quetschentaart – Luxembourgish plum tart
50g sugar
1 egg
250g flour
1 pinch of salt
500g plums
Prepare the dough: Beat the butter with the sugar, then add the egg and beat until fluffy.
Sift in the flour and salt and quickly knead into a firm dough. Wrap in cling film and put into the fridge for 30 minutes.
Preheat the fan oven to 200° celsius. Roll out the dough and put into a buttered tart tin.
Wash the plums, halve, remove the stone and cut into six wedges.
Arrange the plum slices in circles on the tart base. Bake for 40 minutes or until the base seems not too soggy anymore (it will always remain slightly soggy because of the plum juince that oozes from the fruit).
Hi Anne,
the reason why i really could use this book is because i don’t have a good recipe for Gromperekichelcher.
I could name many dishes now but my absolut favorite is Gromperekichelcher mat Äppelkompott
Go on with your blog, it’s fabulous.
Hey Anne, for me I think it will have to be Pannfisch from the German North, i.e. morsels of fish – often cod – in mustard sauce with fried potatoes – yummi childhood memories!
Hey Anne,
love what you are doing here. Since I have recenlty pondered getting the new Ketty Thull book, I couldn’t resist leaving a comment here. My favourite Luxembourgish dish is “Kniddelen am Speck geschwenkt”. It might be a very simple dish, but for me it tastes like home. Since I didn’t know about this page before, I’ll go ahead and Like your page and tweet it as well. @triernerd
Verwurelter!!! I prefer the fluffy ones to the dry ones and every year I can’t wait for february when it is Fuesend time and Verwurelter are everywhere I look!!
Hey Anne, love your blog, I have already tried out so many of your recipes, my favourite being the chocolate chip cookies made with cote d’ or chocolate (my favourite too). While living in England the past three years, my go to recipe for cold winter nights when homesickness got a hold of me was kniddelen, but being a vegetarian I did not have them with speck, but with cream, butter, emmentaler cheese and ratatouille on the side. Hope to read other great Luxembourgish recipes on here, keep the good work up
Laurie
Well, a favourite dish from my country? That would be then “Rouladen mit Rotkohl und Knödel” – Roulades with red cabbage and dumplings. This came to my mind right now, although there are many other lovely things. A ‘Zwetschgenkuchen’ would also be nice.
I liked your facebook page as well.
Yes, and I tweeted about the giveaway.
My favourite British dish is beef wellington, followed by steamed syrup pudding.
chocolateeclaire441@hotmail.com
I have liked your facebook page:)
Hard to say.. but I’ll go for Gromprekichelcher too. Always excited for the Schueberfouer for that.. although my gran’s beat those. Love your blog, keep the work up!
Well, I’m Italian and I cannot live without pasta, so I’m picking up a pasta dish… Spaghetti aglio olio e peperoncino! The easiest pasta ever, oil, garlic, chilli and a sprinkle of parsley, so flavourful! And the best bit is cleaning up the empty plate with bread afterwards
I liked you on facebook
I tweeted the giveaway @triernerd
not sure I have a favorite dish since I like so many dishes from all different cultures. I will give your plum tart a try. It looks divine.
Hey Anne,
I’ve been following your site for a while and couldn’t resist with this give-away, although my family (my brothers, parents and I all have at least one copy of Ketty Thull, old and new edition) would argue that the new edition has lost a lot of its typewriter flair.
Ketty Thull, to me, is an absolute bible, for some of the recipes I even know the page numbers by heart. My favourite: gefellte Streisel (a crumble filled with vanilla custard), but instead of using the normal recipe for the vanilla custard filling, Ketty Thull’s recipe for creme patissiere is nicer, much denser and it uses real vanilla pods. By the way, her creme anglaise recipe goes deliciously well, with your amazing Amaretto peach crumble!
As for Quetschentaart, yours is missing a big dollop of whipped cream (Klappschmant) on top. That’s the way my mom serves it, with the plums picked fresh from our garden. Let me know if you ever come across the right plums here in London.
Thanks for sharing all this amazing food on your blog.
Mmmm, and before having the Quetschentaart i love to eat Bouneschlupp! A classic luxemburgish lunch. A classic!
This tart is perfection – I pinned it for its beauty and I want to make it for its simplicity. Just perfect! This book looks wonderful! My favorite French dish? Oooh that’s not an easy question but give me a seafood choucroute topped with a sauce beurre blanc nantais and I’ll be happy.
I will like you FB page!
It has to be Gromperekichelcher (potato pancake) Perfect when flavoured with onion or garlic! Yumm!
I’ve liked your FB page (Sarah Louise)
I’ve retweeted your post about the giveaway on twitter @sarah34090
P.S I’m British but I’ve always been a huge fan on food from Luxembourg!
If I have to chose it’s Mummentaart !! I love the smell of cinnamon and apple when this pie is baking in the oven.
My favourite recipe is….er…..yours?
Do I win?
It was great meeting you at FBC and thanks for the freelancing ideas you shared!
I look forward to reading your upcoming posts. Let’s keep in touch.
Mäi Lieblingsiessen an daat vu mengen 3 Jongen sin déi gudd Kniddelen mat gebrodenem Speck;-)))
Well, I’m Irish, living in Germany and married to a Turkish man, hence our cooking is somewhat varied to say the least! Right now, my favourite dish has to be “dolma” which are stuffed vegetables (peppers, courgettes, etc. or vine leaves) – or my absolute favourite at the moment, stuffed cabbage leaves (filled with a mixture of rice, tomates and herbs) – served with homemade natural yoghurt – delicious!
Have liked “Anne’s Kitchen” on Facebook
Hi Anne,
My favorite french dish is the boeuf bourguignon and as a link with my native country Germany, I cook it with some Spätzle-noodles.
You’re photographies and food styling props are very amazing!
Already liked your FB page
Wonderful looking plum tart, what a shame the Ketty Thull’s book isn’t in english. Great to meet you at FBC12 and to discover a new blog! GG
dierf ech och op lëtzebuergesch “liken”?
schued effektiv dass nach keen op d’Idee koum dat Buch op Englesch z’iwwersetzen….
In addition to all the dishes that have already been mentioned here I’d vote for Feierstengszalot followed by Bamkuch!
gudden Appetit,
cx
From the UK and my favourite dish is a big sunday roast, with all the trimmings. So typical! haha sandsferguson@hotmail.co.uk