Fresh Pear Crostata Recipes

PEAR AND CRANBERRY 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 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 1/4 cup 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 and form into 2 disks. Wrap the disks with plastic and refrigerate for at least one hour.
• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
• Roll each pastry disk into an 11-inch circle on a lightly floured surface. Transfer them to 2 baking sheets lined with parchment paper.
• For the filling, peel, core, and quarter the pears. Cut each quarter into big chunks. Toss the chunks with the orange zest. Divide the pear chunks between the pastries, covering the dough and leaving a 1 1/2-inch border. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of cranberries over the top of each tart.
• Combine the flour, sugar, salt, cinnamon, and allspice 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 holding together. Sprinkle evenly over the top of the two tarts. Gently fold the border of each tart over the pears, pleating it to make a circle.
• Bake the crostatas for 30 minutes, or until the crust is golden and the pears are tender. Let the tarts cool for 5 minutes, then use 2 large spatulas to transfer them to wire racks.

FRESH PEACH CROSTATA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Prepare a baking sheet by lining it with parchment paper. Set the uncooked pie dough onto the baking sheet.
• In a bowl, gently mix peaches, sugar, and flour together. Pour fruit mixture into the center of the pastry round, leaving about 2 1/2 inches around the edge. Fold up the edge of the pastry dough over the filling to make a rim. Fan the edge as you go around folding the dough.
• Brush pastry with the beaten egg and place the pat of butter on top of the fruit mixture. Bake for 30 to 45 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown and the fruit is bubbling. Cool the crostata on a rack and serve warm or at room temperature with your favorite ice cream.

PEAR AND APPLE CROSTATA WITH FIVE-SPICE WHIPPED CREAM

Steps:

• for crust:
• Mix both flours, sugar and salt in processor. Add butter and shortening. Using on/off turns, process until butter and shortening form pea-size pieces. Mix in enough ice water to form moist clumps. Gather dough into ball; flatten into disk. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour. (Can be prepared 3 days ahead. Keep refrigerated.)
• for filling:
• Position rack in center of oven and preheat oven to 400°F. Combine first 6 ingredients in large bowl. Toss to blend. Let stand until juices form, about 15 minutes.
• Roll out dough on lightly floured work surface to 1 1/2-inch round. Transfer dough to unrimmed baking sheet. Mound filling atop dough, leaving 2-inch border. Fold dough border over filling to form 7-inch round, pleating loosely and pinching to seal any cracks in dough. Brush crust and fruit with egg, then sprinkle with 1 tablespoon sugar.
• Bake crostata until crust is golden and juices bubble thickly, about 40 minutes. Transfer baking sheet to rack; cool 10 minutes. Slide metal spatula under crust to free from baking sheet. Cool crostata to lukewarm. Using large tart pan bottom as aid, transfer crostata to platter.
• Whip cream, honey and five-spice powder in medium bowl until stiff. Serve crostata lukewarm or at room temperature with whipped cream.
• *A blend of ground anise, cinnamon, star anise, cloves and ginger, available in the spice section of most supermarkets.

FRESH PEAR CROSTATA

Steps:

• 1. Let pie crust pouch stand at room temperature for 15 to 20 minutes.2. Meanwhile, heat oven to 450°F. In medium bowl, combine 1/2 cup sugar and flour blend well. Add pears toss gently.3. Remove pie crust from pouch. Unfold crust place in ungreased 15x10x1-inch baking pan. Press out fold lines.4. Spoon pear mixture onto center of crust, leaving 2-inch border. Fold edge of crust 2 inches over pear mixture crimp crust slightly. Sprinkle crust edge with 1 teaspoon sugar.5. Bake at 450'F. for 14 to 20 minutes or until crust is golden brown and pears are tender, sprinkling almonds over pear mixture during last 5 minutes of baking time. Cool at least 15 minutes before serving.Nutrition Information Per Serving: Serving Size: 1/8 of Recipe * Calories: 340 * Calories from Fat: 120 * % Daily Value: Total Fat: 13 g 20% * Saturated Fat: 6 g 30% * Cholesterol: 25 mg 8% * Sodium: 110 mg 5% * Total Carbohydrate: 53 g 18% * Dietary Fiber: 3 g 12% * Sugars: 36 g * Protein: 2 g * Vitamin A: 6% * Vitamin C: 80% * Calcium: 4% * Iron: 4% * Dietary Exchanges: 1/2 Starch, 3 Fruit, 2 1/2 Fat or 3 1/2 Carbohydrate, 2 1/2 FatVariationsFresh Peach Pie: Substitute sliced fresh peaches for strawberries. Omit red food color.Fresh Raspberry Pie: Substitute fresh raspberries for strawberries. Prepof crust 2 inches over pear mixture crimp crust slightly. Sprinkle crust edge with 1 teaspoon sugar.