Monday, April 20, 2015

Blackberry and Peach Crostata

Welcome back from the weekend, friends!  I have a great recipe to share with you guys today.  This was a HUGE craving of mine a couple weeks back, but we were smack dab in the middle of Passover.  During the 8 days of Passover, we don't eat any wheat products {technically, nothing that can "rise", so only unleavened products for that time frame}, and I was absolutely dying for this crostata.  I'm talking dreaming of it, salivating at the mouth cravings!  The day after the holiday ended, I was up and at 'em bright and early, on my way to the grocery store to buy all the necessary ingredients to make this yummy dessert.  1 week is a long time to wait for a pregnancy craving lol!

If you've never had a crostata before, it's basically the Italians version of a pie.  I love crostata, and always seek out a good slice whenever we vacation in Italy.  Crostata is a little more rustic, peasant food style, and usually is constructed with whatever fresh fruit is in season.  The top isn't enclosed with crust like a regular pie is, instead the dough just folds over the fruit, and leaves the middle partially exposed making for a beautiful presentation.  I love that the fruit really is the shining star in this recipe.  Minimal sugar is added allowing the natural sweetness from the peaches & blackberries to really stand out.

As I've said in the past, a great majority of the recipes that I post on here are my own, however whenever I come across an amazing recipe that belongs to someone else I have to share it with you guys!  I originally saw this recipe on The Chew.  Do you ever watch that show?  It's sort of like The View but for foodies {during the day, food/cooking channels are always on in the background of my house}, so this recipe actually comes courtesy of Mario Batali.  It's SO GOOD you guys!  I really hope that you try it out! 

* As a small side note, for this recipe you will need an 11" tart pan with a removable bottom.  I purchased mine from Williams-Sonoma years ago, and it's held up great!  You can get it here. *





Ingredients


2 1/2 cup cake flour, plus more for dusting
3 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
Grated zest of 1 Lemon
1 cup {2 sticks} cold unsalted Butter, cut into small chunks
1/4 cup ice water plus more if needed
6 large ripe peaches, pitted & sliced
2 pints fresh blackberries
Juice of 1 lemon
3 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon all-purpose Flour
2 tablespoons honey
large egg, at room temperature
1 cup mascarpone or freshly whipped cream if desired




Directions


Combine the flour, sugar, salt, and lemon zest in a food processor.  Add the butter and zap quickly until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.  Next, add the ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, and pulse until the dough just forms a ball without being too wet or sticky.

Remove the dough from the processor and pat it into a flat disk, about 2 inches thick.  Wrap it into plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine the peaches, blackberries, lemon juice, sugar, and flour in a large mixing bowl.  Toss the mixture gently to coat the fruit.

Next, preheat your oven to 365 degrees F. 

Remove the dough from the refrigerator and allow it to barely soften enough to roll out.  This next part is a little tricky, you want the dough to be workable, but if it's too soft it will fall apart when you transfer it to your tart pan, so you need to work quickly.

Sprinkle your work surface and a rolling pin lightly with cake flour.  Roll the dough out into a 16-inch round, about 1/4 inch thick.  If the dough tears, press the edges back together.  Transfer the dough to a 12 1/2-inch fluted quiche or tart pan with a removable bottom, allowing the excess to hang over the edges.  Spoon the fruit mixture into the dough.  Fold in the overhanging edges of the dough, leaving a 6-inch area of fruit exposed in the center.  Press the crust into the rim of the fluted pan to form an edge. 

Next, place a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water, and heat the honey in the bowl until it is thin.  Add the egg and whisk them together.  Brush this mixture liberally over the fruit and crust.  

Place the tart pan on a baking sheet, and bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes or until the crust is golden brown and fruit is bubbly. Remove it from the oven and let it cool slightly.

Serve the crostata warm or at room temperature, with a dollop of mascarpone or whipped cream in each serving.










Have a great week! xx

7 comments:

  1. Looks so good! Perfect dessert for the summer! Thanks for sharing!
    XO Kelly
    www.dettecakes.com

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    1. Thanks for taking the time to comment, Kelly!

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  2. Any way you could send me some of this - it looks incredible! xo, Biana - BlovedBoston

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  3. How are your marble countertops holding up? I am contemplating calacatta gold but like you, I cook a lot and I am nervous because I see horror stories online. PS made this with strawberries and it was amaze!

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    1. I LOOOOVE our countertops! I did a ton of research beforehand, because, like you, I was super nervous since I spend so much time in the kitchen, and we ended up getting them honed + sealed which has made a world of a difference. Nothing has stained them {the sealant protects them}, and any etch marks are minimal since they just blend in with the honed marble. Everyone {and I mean EVERYONE!} tried to talk me out of honing the marble, and I am so glad that I didn't listen to them because it ended up being the best decision. I would also suggest that if you do get marble, that you invest in some extra large cutting boards. I keep one out permanently next to our cooktop as a prep area, and I've trained Adam to use this whenever he's doing anything in the kitchen :) Hope that helps! xx

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