Summer Berry Crostata
One of my favorite things to do is cook traditional Italian food, and the only thing I love more than that is baking Italian pastries. Ok, maybe eating Italian pastries ranks up there, too. The term crostata might sound fancy, but it's just a free-form tart or pie and can be filled with anything, but summer fruits are the best!
I created this recipe for a cookbook draft I was working on but have since given up, and it’s also one of my family’s favorites, so I wanted to share it somewhere in the hopes it would be enjoyed. If you try it, I’d love to hear your thoughts!
SUMMER BERRY CROSTATA
YIELD: 6 SERVINGS PREP TIME: 30 MINUTES + 1 HOUR CHILL TIME BAKE TIME: 45 MINUTES TOTAL TIME: 2 HOURS, 15 MINUTES
INGREDIENTS:
For the crust: (can be doubled)
1 1/2 cups cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 cup cold water
1/2 lemon, zested and juiced
For the berry filling:
2 cups fresh strawberries, sliced
1 cup fresh blueberries
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
1/8 tsp kosher salt
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 lemon, zested and juiced
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
For the egg wash:
1 egg
1 tbsp milk
1 tbsp sanding (coarse) sugar
DIRECTIONS:
Start by cutting your butter into small cubes. It's important to keep your butter ice cold, so as soon as you are done cubing it, pop it back in the refrigerator until you are ready to mix up the dough.
Combine flour, sugar, salt, and lemon zest in a food processor. Add your butter cubes and continue processing until the butter breaks down and your mixture has a coarse, pea-size texture. Add your lemon juice and water and use the pulse button on your processor until your dough starts to form. (It will still look a little crumbly) Don't overmix, as this will make your crust flat, and you'll lose the flakiness. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead together about five times, gently forming a rounded disk. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap, pressing it into a uniform shape, and refrigerate for one hour.
While your dough is chilling, you can prepare your fruit filling. Wash your berries and pat dry. After hulling your strawberries (removing the green cap and stem,) slice and combine with blueberries in a large bowl. Add the sugars, flour, salt, nutmeg, and cinnamon, and combine until all the berries are coated in the dry ingredients. Mix in your lemon juice, zest, and vanilla until incorporated. Set aside.
Preheat your oven to 350°. When your dough has chilled for one hour, roll it out on a floured surface until it forms a 12-inch circle. If there are any holes or tears in the middle of your crust, gently pinch them closed. The edges of the crust will look a bit ragged, and that's ok. Transfer your dough to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Turn your berry mixture out in the center of the dough, letting it mound up, leaving at least a 2-inch border of crust around the berries. Begin folding the dough up and over the edge of the berries, pleating it as you go.
In a small bowl, beat egg and milk to incorporate. Brush mixture over crust edge and sprinkle with sanding sugar. Bake for 45 minutes until the crust is golden and the fruit is tender. Let cool for 30 minutes.
I hope you enjoy this recipe if you try it! It doesn't last very long after coming out of the oven here in my house!
(I originally shared this recipe on the Winstead Wandering blog under my former creative blog, A Simpler Grace.)
