Nectarine Plum Crostata Recipes

PLUM CROSTATA

Steps:

• In large bowl, stir together plums, 1/2 cup sugar, the plum preserves, vanilla and allspice. Let stand 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Heat oven to 425°F. Line cookie sheet with cooking parchment paper; spray paper with cooking spray. Unroll pie crust on cookie sheet; roll into 12-inch round.
• Drain plum mixture, reserving liquid. In same bowl, toss plums with flour. Mound plums in center of crust, leaving 3-inch border. Fold crust up and over plums, pleating as you go. In small bowl, beat egg and water. Brush crust with egg mixture; sprinkle with 1 tablespoon sugar.
• Bake 25 minutes or until filling is bubbly and crust is golden. Cool on cooling rack 15 minutes before serving. Meanwhile, in 1-quart saucepan, heat reserved plum liquid to boiling over medium heat. Boil 1 to 2 minutes or until slightly thickened. Cool slightly. Brush 1 to 2 tablespoons plum syrup over exposed fruit in center of tart. Serve immediately with remaining plum syrup.

NECTARINE PLUM AND BLUEBERRY CROSTATA

Steps:

• Mix flour, sugar and salt in a mixing bowl. Work butter into flour mixture with hands or a pastry blender until it resembles coarse meal. Add enough cold water to bring dough together into a ball, handling dough as little as possible. Wrap dough ball in plastic wrap. Chill at least 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
• Roll the dough into a free form circle, approximately 14-inches in diameter. Place on baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Sprinkle center of dough with 1/4 cup of flour. Toss nectarines, plums and blueberries with 1 cup of sugar. Spread mixture in center of dough to within 3 inches of edge. Fold dough border over the mixture, leaving a circle uncovered in the center. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until the dough is golden brown and fruit is tender.
• Dust with confectioners' sugar. Serve warm or at room temperature with creme fraiche.

PLUM CROSTATA

Steps:

• For the dough: In a standing mixer with a paddle blend together flour, sugar and lemon zest. Add butter and continue mixing on low until sandy looking. Meanwhile whisk together egg and yolk. Add to flour/butter mixture and blend on low just until it comes together. Form into a ball and chill.
• Roll dough out to a 14-inch circle and place on a parchment paper lined sheet pan. Fold over 1/2 inch of the crust to form a rustic edge. Spread jam on center of tart then fan around wedges of plums and dot with raspberries. Drizzle honey over plums, brush edge with cream and sprinkle with coarse sugar. Bake at 375 until fruit is tender and crust is cooked on the under side, about 25 to 30 minutes.
• Note: You may use frozen raspberries if fresh is not available. Also if you can't find coarse sugar, use raw sugar.

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 PLUM CROSTATA WITH LEMON THYME

Steps:

• In a food processor fitted with a steel blade, pulse together the flours, 1 tablespoon sugar and 1/2 teaspoon salt until blended. In a measuring cup, lightly beat the egg, and add just enough cream to get to 1/3 cup. Lightly whisk the egg and cream together.
• Add the butter to the flour mixture and pulse to break up the butter. Do not over-process; you need lima-bean-size chunks of butter. Drizzle the egg mixture over the dough and pulse until it just starts to come together but is still mostly large crumbs.
• Put the dough on the counter and knead to make one uniform piece. Flatten into a disk, wrap in plastic and chill for 2 hours or up to 3 days.
• Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Roll the dough out to a 12-inch round (it can be ragged). Transfer to a rimmed baking sheet and chill while preparing the filling.
• Toss together the plums, all but a tablespoon of the remaining sugar, a pinch of salt and the cornstarch. Pile fruit on the dough circle, leaving a 1 1/2-inch border. Gently fold the pastry over the fruit, pleating to hold it in (sloppy is fine). Brush pastry with cream. Sprinkle remaining sugar on top, with the thyme.
• Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until the crust is golden and the fruit is tender. Cool for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. Remove the thyme branches (some leaves will cling; you want this). Serve warm or at room temperature.