Apple Crostata

 

Hello all–  This little dessert is actually a re-run.  I made it a couple weeks ago for Laurel and John in Wisconsin after we ran into beautiful apples at the Winter Farmers Market.  And it was so yummy, I tried again this week for our Monday night ladies.

It goes together pretty easily.  The tedious part is peeling and slicing those apples!  But it smells so inviting coming out of the oven, that buttery crust and cinnamon laced apples –and with a scoop of ice cream–just  perfect!

APPLE CROSTATA

Crust:
1 cup flour
1/4 cup sugar (plus a tsp for sprinkling)
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup cold butter (1stick)
5 tab. ice water

Apple Filling:
5 smallish (4 medium) apples
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup flour
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. salt

Extra:  ice cream or whipped cream.

To make the crust, mix together the 1 cup flour, 1/4 cup sugar and salt in a mixing bowl.  Then with s pastry blender* or 2 forks, cut in the butter until it resembles coarse crumbs.  Then add the ice water and stir the mixture until forms a dough.

Roll out the dough on a counter dusted with flour, using a rolling pin.  Lift it carefully onto a baking sheet that has been lined with parchment.

Peel, core and slice the apples to smallish chunks.  Then drop them in a mixing bowl and stir in the 3/4 cup sugar, 1/4 cup flour, cinnamon and salt until the apples are all coated with the dry ingredients.

Spoon the apples into the middle of the rolled out crust.  Fold the edges of the crust up over the pile of apples, leaving the middle uncovered.  Sprinkle the teaspoon of sugar over the turned up edges of crust.

Pop the whole thing into a 400 degree oven for 20 to 25 minutes until the crust is golden and the apples are firm, but tender.  Serve it warm with whipped cream or ice cream.  So good!

*or use a food processor to cut it all together.

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Peach Crostata

Hello all–  When we first arrived in Wisconsin a couple weeks ago, our dear friends Jac & Jackie trekked down to Madison to meet up for dinner with us at our kids house. It was a sweet time catching up with them, and ended dinner with this fresh peach crostata.  Sweet summer peaches– they make any dessert a celebration!  After supper we walked and talked down along the lake in the coolness of the evening– so thankful for J & J.

PEACH CROSTATA

Crust:
1 cup flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup cold butter (1 stick), diced
3-5 tablespoons ice water
a couple more tab. of sugar

Peaches:
5 peaches, peeled, pitted, cut into slices
1 tab. flour
1 tab. sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon

To  make the crust use a food processor or a pastry blender (Or just 1 forks, if that is what you have on hand!), cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.  Mix in the ice water, starting with 3 tablespoons and adding more if needed until you have a ball of dough.

Wrap the dough ball in a piece of plastic wrap and set it into the fridge while you prepare the peaches.

Peel, pit and slice the peaches.  In a mixing bowl coat them with the tablespoon of flour, tablespoon of sugar and teaspoon of cinnamon.

Then take the dough from the fridge, roll it on a floured counter with a rolling pin until it makes a 11″-12″ circle.  Set the dough on a baking sheet that has been lined with foil or parchment paper.

Mound the peaches in the middle of the dough and then fold up the edges inward to hold in the peaches.  Sprinkle the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar over the turned up crust.

Put the crostata into a 400 degree oven for 20 to 25 minutes– until the crust is nicely browned.  Serve it up hot, cut into wedges,  with a scoop of ice cream!  A fine summer dessert.