MONDAY RECIPE POST - MIXED BERRY CROSTATA

This Monday's recipe comes from Saving Room for Dessert, hosted by Tricia.  You can find it here. Thank you Tricia for not only a delicious but very pretty dessert.  Always encourage you to read the original recipe just in case I have missed anything out.  Also there are great recipes to enjoy.

Mixed Berry Crostata

Preparation time: 30 minutes

Cooking time: 45 minutes

Total time: 1 hour 15 minutes

Ingredients

For the pastry dough:

2 cups all-purpose flour

12 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold and cut into cubes

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1 large egg yolk

2 tablespoons ice water

For the filling:

4 cups mixed berries, (blackberries, blueberries and raspberries)

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1/3 cup granulated sugar

Juice of 1/2 lemon (I also used the zest)

1 tablespoon cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

Egg wash

Coarse sugar for topping

Instructions

To prepare the pastry dough:

Combine the flour, salt and powdered sugar in the bowl of a food processor.

Add the butter and pulse until it forms a coarse meal.

Add the egg yolk and ice water and pulse just until the dough comes together.

Gather the dough together and divide into two equal size pieces.

Form each piece into a disc and place on a piece of plastic wrap.  

Wrap tightly and refrigerate for 1 hour or overnight. If chilled overnight allow the dough to rest at room temperature for 15-20 minutes before rolling out.

To assemble the crostata:

Preheat oven to 375 Fahrenheit.

Place the berries in a large mixing bowl.

In a small bowl or measuring cup, whisk together the cornstarch and sugar and pour over the berries.

Add the lemon juice and toss to combine (if you are using lemon zest add this also).

Divide the dough in half. On a lightly floured, clean work surface, roll each half into a 10-inch round. 

You can freeze the extra round.  As there was just  the two of us we didn't make the extra crostata.  We adjusted the filling ingredients accordingly.

(I found a page here to refresh on freezing dough and it said:

"Pie dough is a great keeper in the freezer.  As long as it is tightly wrapped in heavy-duty aluminum foil or freezer-weight plastic wrap and sealed in a freezer bag, it should keep up to 6 months.  Pie dough freezes so well, in fact, you'd be wise to make some extra to keep around for whenever inspiration strikes. For extra convenience you can freeze pie crusts in the pan.  This allows you to roll-out the dough ahead of time, and best of all, the crusts need no thawing prior to baking.  A little extra cooking time is the only adjustment necessary.")

Back to our recipe. Transfer the disc to a parchment-lined baking sheet.

Repeat with the remaining dough if you are using and forget about freezing the extra disc of pastry.

Mound half the berry mixture in the center of a dough round leaving a 2-inch border.

Fold the edges of the dough up, overlapping as needed, covering part of the fruit.

Scatter half the diced butter on top of the fruit.

Brush the dough edges with a lightly beaten egg and sprinkle with coarse sugar.

Bake the crostatas until crust is golden brown and the fruit is bubbling, about 45–50 minutes. Let cool before serving.

Recipe Notes

Do not make the dough rounds any larger than 10 to 11 inches. The dough will be too thin and not hold together well.

My crostata did not come out as pretty as those in Tricia's photos, but it tasted delicious.  It is the first time I have made anything like this that wasn't in a pie dish and I need practice.  I found a  YouTube video here.  It is very close to Tricia's recipe and it is good to have those pointers.  

I not only juiced the lemon but I also used its zest.  

I bought ready-made puff pastry, the kind that is frozen and comes in two sheets to the box.  

I only needed one sheet and when thawed I placed it on a flour-dusted board.  As they are oblong shapes I used a dinner plate roughly the size needed, and used it as a template to cut out the round shape.  I rolled this out a bit but had to be careful as I didn't want to get it too thin as it will break.  I've used these puff pastry sheets before and have always been pleased with them.  

I used fresh blackberries and strawberries for the filling.  

There are a few slices left for the next couple of days.  

I think that's about all I can think of on the changes I made.

Did anyone ever go blackberry picking?  I would love to hear your story.  On Sunday drives in the countryside when I was very young, my family and I would often find a pretty place to stop and have a picnic.  This was in the 1950's/60's.  Mum sometimes packed sandwiches, but mostly always included cold sausages, hardboiled eggs, and carried a knife for thick slices of fresh bread with butter and cheese, probably a few other things I can't remember, and pop.  On the way home Dad would find a farmers gate to tuck the car into, read his newspaper while Mum, my sister and I walked along the lane and searched the hedgerows looking for wild blackberries.  These quiet country lanes which barely fit one car width, rarely had any traffic and we were quite safe but you know, always aware with eyes and ears.  Sometimes we would collect enough to make a pie and sometimes just enough to fill a small bowl topped with cream for that night's dessert.  Another nice memory from childhood.

Writing this on the 4th of July, I am listening to the sound of fireworks and firecrackers as we enter the twilight hour.  We opened our patio door, stepped outside for a while and watched at least two families, and listened to the giggles of small children. The heat had gone out of the day and it felt very pleasant.  I would gladly sit outside if it were not for the humidity and worst of all the mosquitoes. We are not very fond of each other.  (How on earth did they get on Noah's ark?)  Well, I should say they are fond of me but I definitely don't return the feeling.  The first time they arrive they always take me by surprise and I start swatting.  It isn't long before I have a dozen or so bites. The next day I am itching like crazy, tormented by the fact that I can't scratch while reaching for the magic ointment to calm the fire.  Occasionally one gets inside the house and I wake up with my feet or elbows on fire.  They leave hubs completely alone.  Noah, for crying out loud?

Enough of the jest, we spent our day quietly just the two of us, the first time in many years on Independence Day.  The introvert in us is okay with that and we both enjoyed it, though we obviously thought of our family and friends.  God willing, as my dear old Dad used to say, there is always next year.  He was also introverted but always optimistic.