Crusty Around the Edges

I am such a slacker. I know it’s been a ridiculously long time since I’ve posted anything. Sometimes a girl just gets a little busy. What with a relaxing vacation to Hawaii, an engagement, keeping up with client demands and wedding planning, how dare I not post anything for Almost Two Whole Months! So sorry. To make it up to you, I shall give you the crostata! My favorite food season is beginning and peaches, nectarines and apricots have commenced as being my entire diet. As in I buy a pound from my guy at the farmers market at 3 pm on Tuesday, and by 10 am Wednesday, the entire lot is in my tummy. I am ridiculous with fruit.

So it’s time to start making summer fruit desserts. The jams are on deck, especially since they are going to be favors at my nuptials (awwww, how sweet, homemade jam as gifts!) and the summer pudding is begging to be made, but the crostata is a huge guest and client impresser so I’ve been turning em out like it’s going out of style. This dessert has the added bonus of making extra crust to be used at a further time. And I have yet to meet a crust I didn’t like.

For the Crust:

2 cups all purpose flour
¼ cup sugar
Pinch of kosher salt
2 sticks unsalted butter, diced and frozen for 20 minutes
¼ cup ice water

For the Filling:

1 ½ pounds peeled and pitted/cored fruit (apples, pears, peaches, plums, nectarines, etc)
¼ cup flour
¼ cup brown sugar
Pinch of kosher salt
¼ tsp cinnamon (if using apples or pears)
½ stick unsalted butter, diced

To make the crust:

Place the flour, sugar and salt in a food processor and pulse a couple of times. Add the cold butter and pulse 10 to 15 times, until the butter is crumbly and in small pieces. With the motor running, add the ice water and then pulse until the dough almost comes together in a ball. Dump onto a floured surface and form two balls. Flatten into a disk and wrap each one in plastic wrap. Freeze one for another time and put the other one in the fridge for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
Roll the crust into an 11 inch circle on a floured surface and place on the baking sheet.



Cut the fruit in half and then into large chunks and pour onto the tart dough, leaving a 1 ½ inch border around the edges. Combine the flour, sugar and cinnamon, if using in a food processor and pulse until the mixture is crumbly. Spread evenly over the fruit mixture and gently fold the dough up over the fruit, pleating where necessary to make a circle. Don’t worry about it being perfect, the point is for it to look rustic and homemade. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until dough is golden brown, let rest 5 minutes, and then carefully remove to flat surface. Serve warm, yields 8-10 servings.