PASTRY:

1 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 c. cold butter, cut in 10 pieces
3 tbsp. ice water
1/2 tsp. finely grated fresh lemon peel
1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice

4 lg. Golden Delicious apples, peeled (about 1 1/2 lb.)
1/4 c. granulated sugar mixed with 1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
2 tbsp. butter
Confectioners' sugar (optional)

Cut butter into flour with pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add water, lemon peel and juices. Stir until dough holds together. Gather dough into a ball, flatten, wrap in waxed paper and refrigerate 30 minutes or until firm enough to roll out.

Cut each apple in half from top to bottom. Remove core and cut out stem and bud ends. Turn halves cut sides down and slice thin.

Heat oven to 425 degrees. On lightly floured surface roll dough into a 13 inch round. Edges can be uneven. Transfer to an ungreased cookie sheet. Leaving a 2 inch border, arrange apple slices in concentric circles from outside toward the middle. Sprinkle with sugar-nutmeg mixture, then dot with butter. Fold edges of pastry over apples.

Bake 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees and bake 35 minutes longer or until apples are tender and pastry is golden. Slide tart onto wire rack to cool. Before serving, dust with confectioners' sugar. Makes 6 servings. (This is very good served warm with a scoop of ice cream.)