Spiced Pluot Crostata
I had five gorgeous, deep purple pluots from the farmers' market ripening on the counter...
so I decided to make a crostata.
I'm not really a pie baker, so I knew I would love making an easier rustic crostata. If you don't already know, a crostata is just an open free-form tart similar to a French galette. There are no special pastry skills required to make one...just a good crust recipe and fresh fruit!
Rustic Tart Crust
I turned to Martha Stewart for my crostata crust recipe. I wanted an old world Italian style crust and liked that Martha's had fine yellow cornmeal in it. It was easier than pie to make!
You mix everything in your food processor, of course, using really cold butter and really cold ice water. The dough comes together magically in the the food processor. Next you turn your dough out, knead it a few times and flatten it into a disc. You wrap the disc in plastic wrap and let it rest in the refrigerator for at least one hour. Then you roll, fill and bake!
Spiced Pluot Crostata
For my filling:
1 1/2 lbs firm-ripe pluots, sliced (approx. 5-6 large pluots)
2/3 c. granulated sugar
3 T. corn starch
1 t. cinnamon
1 t. allspice
Combine the ingredients together until moistened. Mound the pluot filling in the center of your dough right away. Don't dillydally here. I mixed my fruit and then rolled out my dough. Those few extra minutes created a lot of juice in the pluot mixture. Next time, I will roll out my dough first and then mix up my fruit filling.
My other tip, is to have sanding sugar in your pantry to sprinkle on the crostata (after the egg wash) before you bake it. I didn't have any so I used granulated sugar this time.
Thank you Martha for a wonderful rustic crust recipe. Here's the link where you can find it:
Ah yes this is one of my much used recipes. Mine is from Delia Smith's Summer Collection and she calls it a very easy one-crust pie which she says is an American idea - bright lot those Americans;-) Her tip is to put a couple of rounded tablespoons of semolina on the bottom to mop up the juice from the fruit. My favourite is gooseberry but as we have many wild damsons in the garden I might try those now I've seen your lovely pluot (haven't heard of those before). Thanks Lisette.
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