Blackberry Peach Crostata

Oh man. This recipe took me for a ride. This is actually my second time making it; the first was a disaster. See, I was baking in an attempt to alleviate a bad mood, but being in a bad mood, I wasn't paying as much attention as was necessary. I ended up doubling the amount of sugar required and the whole things just fell apart. The second time I made the recipe, I expected things to go perfectly, but again, they didn't! I'm having some difficulty with the dough, though I'm not exactly sure what. Possibly that I'm doing by hand what calls for a food processor.

This recipe comes from a great pastry cookbook called The Pastry Queen by a bakery owner in Texas. My aunt and uncle sent it to me as they've always encouraged my culinary interests (and really any other interest I've had). There are tons of recipes I hope to try soon, especially her blackberry pie bars.. mmmm. Hopefully, I'll have better luck than I had with these crostatas!


Those peaches look awfully like nectarines don't they, with this dark purplish-pink hue? Yet they are indeed peaches. After my first attempt at crostatas, I tossed all the leftover fruit into one container and the blackberries "dyed" the peaches. I think they're pretty.

Fruit Crostatas
(Rebecca Rather, The Pastry Queen, pg 61-62)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup chilled butter, cut intot small pieces
4 tbsp ice water
1 cup fruit (do not use strawberries or bananas!)
1/2 cup granulated sugar, for sprinkling over fruit

(These instructions are what I did since I do not have a food processor)

In a large bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup sugar, flour, and salt. Using a pastry cutter, cut in the butter until the mixture is crumbly. Add water 1 tbsp at a time, using the pastry cutter to mix it in after each addition. The dough should being to hold together; at this point, it's ready. Shape the dough into a ball and wrap in palastic wrap. Refrigerate for 1 hour. (You can refrigerate for less time, but it makes the dough more difficult to handle.)

Preheat the oven to 450F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or butter it generously.

Divide the dough into 4 equal pieces and roll each into a ball. use your hands to press the dough into 1/4 inch thick rounds on the prepare baking sheet. Each round should be about 6 inches in diameter.

If you are using berries, leave the fruit whole. larger fruits can be left unpeeled, but most be sliced so they can fit neatly in the center of the crostata. Spoon 1/4 cup of the fruit into the center of each round, leaving a 1 1/2 inch border all around the edge. (If using larger fruits, place 3-4 slices of fruit in the center of each crostata.)

Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup sugar evenly over the fruit on each crostata. Fold the dough edges toward the center, making 3 separate flaps. With your thumb and forefinger, firmly pinch together the seams between the folds.

Bake the crostatas for 12-14 minutes, until brown around the edges. Cool the crostatas on the baking sheet for no more than 10 minutes or they will be difficult to remove whole. Serve warm or at room temperature.