Blueberry Crostata Food

SUMMER FRUIT CROSTATA

Steps:

• For the pastry:
• Place the flour, sugar, and salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Pulse a few times to combine. Add the butter and toss quickly (and carefully!) with your fingers to coat each cube of butter with the flour. Pulse 12 to 15 times, or until the butter is the size of peas. With the motor running, add the ice water all at once through the feed tube. Keep hitting the pulse button to combine, but stop the machine just before the dough comes together. Turn the dough out onto a well-floured board, roll it into a ball, cut in half, and form into 2 flat disks. Wrap the disks in plastic and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. If you only need 1 disk of dough The other disk of dough can be frozen.
• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Roll the pastry into an 11-inch circle on a lightly floured surface. Transfer it to the baking sheet.
• For the pastry (makes 2 crostatas) .
• For the filling:
• Cut the peaches and plums in wedges and place them in a bowl with the blueberries. Toss them with 1 tablespoon of the flour, 1 tablespoon of the sugar, the orange zest, and the orange juice. Place the mixed fruit on the dough circle, leaving a 1 1/2-inch border.
• Combine the 1/4 cup flour, the 1/4 cup sugar, and the salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture is crumbly. Pour into a bowl and rub it with your fingers until it starts to hold together. Sprinkle evenly over the fruit. Gently fold the border of the pastry over the fruit, pleating it to make an edge.
• Bake the crostata for 20 to 25 minutes, until the crust is golden and the fruit is tender. Let the crostata cool for 5 minutes, then use 2 large spatulas to transfer it to a wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.

RUSTIC PEACH AND BLUEBERRY CROSTATA

Steps:

• To make the pastry: combine the flour, sugar, salt, and lemon zest in a large mixing bowl. Add the butter and mix with a pastry blender or your hands until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the egg yolk and pour in the ice water; work it in to bind the dough until it holds together without being too wet or sticky. Squeeze a small amount together, if it is crumbly, add more ice water, 1 teaspoon at a time. Form the dough into a disk and wrap in plastic wrap; refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
• To make the filling: combine the peaches, blueberries, lemon juice, sugar, and flour in a large mixing bowl. Toss the mixture gently to coat the fruit.
• Prepare your wooden burning brick oven according to manufacturer's directions or place a pizza stone in a conventional oven and preheat to 375 degrees F.
• Sprinkle the counter and a rolling pin lightly with flour. Roll the dough out into a 14-inch circle, about 1/4-inch thick; it doesn't have to be perfect, free-form is the look you want for this rustic tart. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured pizza paddle. Spoon the fruit mixture into the center of the dough, leaving a 2-inch border all around; brush the border with the egg wash. Lift the edge of crust over the filling, leaving the fruit exposed in center. Gently fold and pinch the dough to seal any cracks. Brush the crust with the remaining egg wash and sprinkle with sugar. Bake the crostata directly on the brick oven floor towards the front or on the preheated pizza stone for 30 to 40 minutes or until the crust is golden brown and fruit is bubbly and tender. Slide a pizza paddle under the tart to remove it from the oven. Serve warm or at room temperature with vanilla ice cream.

GOOSEBERRY AND BLUEBERRY CUSTARD CROSTATA WITH BROWN SUGAR CARAMEL SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• For the dough: Grate the butter on a box grater and add to the bowl of a food processor with the flour, granulated sugar and kosher salt. Pulse to incorporate. Add the egg yolk and almond extract then pulse another few times. Add 3/4 cup of the toasted almonds and pulse to break up the almonds. Add the ice water and pulse until the dough comes together. Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface. Pat and form the dough into a disc. Roll out the dough into a 1/2-inch-thick circle, dusting with more flour if necessary. Transfer the dough onto a floured sheet tray and cover with plastic wrap. Place into the fridge to chill for 20 minutes.
• Spray six 4-inch tart shells with removable bottoms with nonstick cooking spray. Remove the dough from the fridge and roll out to 1/4-inch thick. Cut the dough into 5-inch circles and gently lay into the tart shells. Using your finger, press the dough into all edges of the tart shell, making sure the dough is completely flush against the mold. Run your rolling pin over the top to remove any excess dough from the top. Line the tart shells with foil and fill each with your baking beans. Make sure the foil is completely covering the dough or else it will burn in the oven. Place into the oven and bake for 15 minutes. Take out of the oven and remove the foil and baking beans, then place back into the oven for 4 to 5 minutes, or until lightly golden brown.
• For the custard: Add the heavy cream, 4 tablespoons of the granulated sugar, eggs and vanilla extract to a large bowl. Blend with an immersion blender. Set aside.
• Add the blueberries, gooseberries, the remaining 2 tablespoons granulated sugar and cornstarch to a large bowl. Toss to combine to ensure the fruit is fully coated. Spoon the fruit into the baked tart shells and pour the custard over the top each, making sure not to overfill. Transfer the tarts into the oven and bake for 20 minutes, or until the custard is set. Sprinkle each tart with some granulated sugar and torch with a blow torch to caramelize.
• For the mascarpone: Mix together the mascarpone, vanilla extract and cinnamon in a small bowl.
• For the brown sugar caramel: Cut the butter into pats. Add the brown sugar and lemon juice into a medium sauté pan. Turn on the heat to medium and cook until it starts to get syrupy, thick and bubbly. Add the heavy cream and swirl the pan to combine. Whisk in one pat of butter at a time. Add the dark rum and bring back to a boil to cook off the alcohol.
• To serve, spoon some of the brown sugar caramel sauce onto the bottom of the plate. Place the tart on top followed by a dollop some of the mascarpone over the tarts. Garnish with the remaining toasted almonds.

BLUEBERRY CROSTATA

Steps:

• For the crust: Put the flour, granulated sugar and salt in a food processor fitted with a steel blade; pulse to combine. Add the butter and pulse until it is in small pieces and distributed throughout the flour. With the machine running, add the ice water 1 tablespoon at a time until the dough comes together in a ball. Turn out onto a floured surface and gently form into a disc. Wrap in plastic wrap and put in the freezer for at least 1 hour.
• Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface into a 10-inch circle and transfer to a rimmed baking sheet, then refrigerate 20 minutes.
• For the filling: Meanwhile, combine the blueberries, granulated sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice and zest in a medium bowl; mix gently until the berries are evenly coated and glossy.
• To finish: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Pour the filling into the center of the dough, leaving a 2- to 3-inch border. Gently fold in the edges of the crust all along the circle. Brush the crust with egg and sprinkle with sparkling sugar, if using. Bake until the crust is golden and the filling just begins to bubble, 20 to 22 minutes. Let cool 20 minutes and serve warm or at room temperature.

BLUEBERRY-PEACH CROSTATA WITH BASIL CRUST

Steps:

• Use pulsing action of food processor to process flour, cream cheese and butter until mixture is well blended and forms dough that pulls away from side of food processor container.
• Transfer dough to work surface. Add half the basil; knead gently just until blended. Shape into ball; flatten into disk. Wrap with plastic wrap. Refrigerate 1 hour.
• Heat oven to 425°F. Unwrap dough; place between 2 lightly floured sheets of waxed paper. Roll into 12-inch circle. Transfer to parchment-covered baking sheet.
• Toss blueberries and peaches with dry pudding mix, lemon juice and remaining basil; spoon into center of crust to within 3 inches of edge. Fold edge of crust over fruit mixture, pleating edge as necessary. (Fruit mixture in center will remain uncovered.) Brush edge of crust with milk; sprinkle with sugar.
• Bake 35 to 40 min. or until crust is golden brown, and fruit mixture is hot and bubbly.

BLUEBERRY CREAM CHEESE CROSTATA

Steps:

• Pastry: Chill mixer bowl & paddle in freezer for 10 minutes.
• Cut butter into small pea sized cubes then put into freezer to keep cold.
• Combine flour, salt & sugar & add to mixing bowl & set mixer to medium low speed. Slowly add chilled butter a few cubes at a time until all butter is coated with flour & looking crumbly.
• With the mixer running, slowly pour the ice cold water in a thin steady stream into the flour mixture until a dough ball forms. The flour should drink most of the water but if the dough feels sticky add a little four to the outside of the ball before wrapping in plastic bag then place in fridge for 15 minutes.
• Filling: Place cream cheese, 4 tablespoons powdered sugar & vanilla into mixer bowl & mix on medium to combine well.
• Rinse & drain berries but leave them slightly damp.
• Add 2 tablespoons powdered sugar to berries in a bowl & combine.
• Roll out pastry on floured bench to fit onto a greased 16" pizza pan (for easy transfer to pan, fold dough in half then half again to a triangle or wedge shape then lift to pan & unfold).
• Spread cream cheese mix evenly over dough all the way to the edges. Pick up one piece of the dough's edge & fold in by about 1 inch toward the middle & about 3 inches long & continue all the way around (you are basically making a rough octagonal shape).
• Place the sugar coated berries evenly across the middle of the pie & use the remaining sugar syrup in the bowl & a brush to glaze the folded edge of the crust before placing into a preheated 400F (200c) oven for 30 to 35 minutes until pastry is golden.
• Cool to room temp, cut into 8 using pizza cutter & try to stop eating more than 1 piece !
• NOTE: If you are experienced at pastry you may think that the amount of water is way too much but PLEASE TRY IT. I am not a trained chef but I spend a lot of time experimenting & I find the high amount of water results in a lot of steam creating a beautiful flaky pastry without all the technical pastry folding.

BLUEBERRY CROSTATA

Steps:

• Defrost pie crust.
• Bring blueberries, sugar, and lemon juice to a boil over medium heat, stirring frequently.
• Dissolve cornstarch in water. Pour into berries until thick.
• Cool slightly.
• Place rolled out crust on a parchment paper or silpat lined cookie sheet.
• Place blueberry filling in the center of crust and spread to within about 2 inches of the edge.
• Fold the edges over.
• Bake about 30-35 minutes at 400°F.