Ripe peaches and plump blueberries offer a pop of color and flavor that perfectly capture the essence of summer.
Fruit Crostatas
Chef Stephanie Banyas
8-12
45 minutes
Italian
Dessert
Creating a fruit crostata is a surprisingly simple process, allowing even novice bakers to impress their friends and family. With just a few fresh ingredients, including ripe peaches, sweet blueberries, and a perfectly chilled crust, you can create this rustic dessert in no time at all. Whether you serve it warm with a scoop of Wilcoxson's vanilla ice cream or at room temperature with a dollop of whipped cream, the blissful combination of textures and tastes will have everyone asking for seconds. So, roll up your sleeves, and let's dive into this scrumptious summer treat that's as easy to make as it is delicious!
Ingredients
Pie Crust
- 2 ½ cups / 320 grams unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ cup / 120 milliliters ice water
- 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
- 1 cup / 225 grams grated cold unsalted butter
Filling
- 5 slightly ripe peaches, peeled, pitted and diced
- ½ cup to 1 cup granulated sugar (plus a little extra to sprinkle on top of the pie) or less, depending on sweetness of fruit
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- Pinch of kosher salt
- 2 cups blueberries
Extras
- Egg Wash
- Raw sugar or regular sugar
Tools
- Bowls
- Whisk
- Grater
- Measuring Spoons
- Dry Measuring Cups
- Liquid Measuring Cup
- Rolling Pin
- Baking Dish
- Baking Sheet
- Pastry Brush
Directions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt; set aside.
- In a measuring cup or a small bowl, combine the water and vinegar; set aside.
- Gently toss the butter into the flour mixture until coated. (You should have pieces of butter that range from sandy patches to pea-size chunks, with some larger bits as well.)
- Drizzle in about half of the ice water mixture and stir lightly with a fork until the flour is evenly moistened and the dough starts to come together. If the dough seems dry, add a little more ice water, 1 to 2 tablespoons at a time. The dough will still look a bit shaggy at this point. If you grab a small piece of dough and press it slightly with your hand, it should mostly hold together.
- Add more water, tablespoon by tablespoon until the dough comes together. Alternatively, you can combine dry ingredients in food processor, pulsing a few times. Scatter butter over top, pulse until incorporated. With motor running, drizzle in water until dough just comes together.
- Cut the dough in half. Shape each piece into a disk and flatten it. Wrap the disks in plastic and put in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour, or overnight, to rest. The dough can be stored for 3 days in the refrigerator or for up to 1 month in the freezer.
- While dough is chilling, preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Combine the peaches, sugar, nutmeg, zest and lemon juice in a large bowl and let macerate at room temperature until the fruit softens and the juices come out, for about 20 minutes. Stir in the cornstarch and salt.
- Transfer the fruit mixture to a baking dish and bake until peaches soften but hold their shape and juices thicken, stirring once, about 15 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and fold in the blueberries. Let cool to room temp, for about 30 minutes. Filling can be made up to 2 days in advance and stored tightly covered in the refrigerator. Bring to room temperature before using.
- Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to 1/8-inch thickness. Cut into circles or rectangles.
- Place dough circles (or rectangles) on parchment lined baking sheet, fill center with fruit filling, leaving a border. Fold up sides, brush with egg wash, sprinkle with sugar, bake on the center rack until dough is golden brown, and fruit is bubbly, about 18 minutes. Let cool for at least 15 minutes before serving