Italian Fruit Crostata
When a bite of something warm and delicious is something you crave, this Italian crostata is one of the simplest recipes to manage, with only a few steps to prepare the dough, an even easier assembly and no special experience necessary. A typical Italian dessert, the crostata is often prepared with jam as its main filling. I created mine with a crust that offers hints of cinnamon and ginger, paired with a topping of in-season fresh fruit and an orange marmalade to give it extra zest, depth and a natural sweetness.
Italian Fruit Crostata
For the pastry:
2-½ cups all-purpose flour
2 sticks (1 cup) salted butter, cold, in chunks
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
1 large egg
½ cup ice water
For the filling:
8 fresh figs, sliced
3 apples, peeled and sliced
1 (heaping) tablespoon orange marmalade
For the glaze:
1 large egg, beaten, for egg wash
To serve (optional)
Handful of fresh mint
Vanilla ice cream
In food processor fitted with pastry blade, pulse flour, butter, sugar, cinnamon and ginger until dough is crumbly. Add egg and water, two tablespoons at a time, and pulse until dough forms texture smooth enough to handle. Turn dough out onto a clean surface and work it until well combined, forming a ball. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and let it rest in refrigerator for 30 minutes.
Add figs and apples to small bowl. With small brush, lightly coat fruit with orange marmalade.
Place pizza stone in conventional oven and preheat to 400 degrees F.
Sprinkle counter with flour and gently roll dough out into a 14-inch circle, about 1⁄4-inch thick, turning dough over and sprinkling flour on both sides so it doesn’t stick. Transfer dough to a lightly floured pizza paddle.
Layer fruit mixture (alternating fruit) onto dough, leaving a two-inch border all around. Make slight fold at edge of crust, pinching dough to seal. Lightly dab egg wash around border with your fingers. With a fork, make indentations around border. Remove pizza stone from oven. Slide crostata off pizza paddle and onto pizza stone. Bake for 30 minutes or until crust is golden brown and fruit is bubbly. Slide pizza paddle under tart to remove it from the oven. Serve warm or at room temperature with vanilla ice cream and fresh mint.
©Recipe by Maria Desiderata Montana
