Nectarine Plum Crostada Recipes

NECTARINE-PLUM CROSTATA

Steps:

• In medium bowl, mix 1 1/2 cups flour, 1 teaspoon sugar and the salt. Cut in 1/2 cup butter, using pastry blender or fork, until crumbly. Stir in egg yolk with fork. Sprinkle with water, 1 tablespoon at a time, tossing until ball of dough forms. Flatten ball to 1/2-inch thickness. Wrap in plastic wrap; refrigerate 30 minutes.
• Heat oven to 425°F. On lightly floured surface, roll pastry into 13-inch round, about 1/8 inch thick. Place on ungreased large cookie sheet.
• In large bowl, mix 1/2 cup sugar, 3 tablespoons flour and the cinnamon. Stir in nectarines and plums until coated. Sprinkle with lemon juice; mix. Spoon fruit mixture onto center of pastry, spreading to within 3 inches of edge. Cut 2 tablespoons butter into small pieces; sprinkle over filing. Fold edge of pastry up and over fruit mixture, pleating crust slightly as necessary. Brush edge of pastry with small amount of water; sprinkle with 1 tablespoon sugar.
• Bake 30 to 40 minutes or until crust is golden brown and fruit is tender. Cool on cooling rack at least 1 hour before serving.

NECTARINE AND PLUM CROSTATA

Steps:

• Blend flour, salt, and sugar in the food processor.
• Add butter and blend, pulsing, until the mixture resembles coarse meal.
• Slowly add 2 tablespoons of ice water and blend just until the dough begins to clump together, adding more ice water by teaspoonfuls if the dough is dry. Gather the dough into a ball and flatten into a disk.
• Wrap in plastic and chill for one hour. Soften slightly at room temperature before rolling out.
• Roll out the dough between sheets of Gefen Parchment Paper until it is 14 inches in diameter. Remove the top sheet of parchment. Using the bottom sheet to aid you, transfer the dough onto a large unrimmed baking sheet. Chill for 10 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 375°F.
• Combine peach and plum slices, sugar, lemon zest, flour, and cinnamon in a medium bowl; toss to blend.
• Spread apricot preserves and ground almonds over the crust, leaving a 3 - 4 inch plain border.
• Arrange fruit slices in concentric circles on top of the preserves and ground almonds, overlapping slightly.
• Using parchment to aid you, fold the plain crust border up over the fruit slices, pinching any cracks in the crust.
• Brush the crust with egg wash. Sprinkle crust edges, peaches, and plums with remaining turbinado sugar.
• Bake the crostata for 45-50 minutes until the crust is golden and the fruits are bubbling. Remove from the oven.
• Slide a long, thin knife between the parchment and crostata. Allow to cool for at least 20 minutes. Cut into wedges and serve warm or at room temperature. Garnish with red currants, mint leaves, and fresh berries.

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.

RUSTIC NECTARINE AND BLACKBERRY CROSTATA WITH CORNMEAL CRUST

Steps:

• For crust:
• Combine first 5 ingredients in processor and blend 5 seconds. Add butter; using on/off turns, blend just until butter is reduced to pea-size pieces. (To ensure a flaky crust, be careful not to overwork the butter.) Add 1/3 cup ice water. Using on/off turns, blend until dough comes together in moist clumps, adding more water by teaspoonfuls if dough is dry. Gather dough into ball; flatten into disk. Wrap; chill at least 1 hour. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Chill. Let soften slightly at room temperature before rolling out.)
• Roll out dough on lightly floured sheet of parchment paper to 14-inch round, turning dough occasionally to prevent sticking. Slide rimless baking sheet under parchment. Transfer dough on parchment to refrigerator. Chill until dough firms slightly, about 30 minutes.
• For filling and baking:
• Stir sugar and cornstarch in medium bowl to blend. Mix in fruit and vanilla. Let stand until juices are released, stirring fruit occasionally, about 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 375°F. Transfer baking sheet with dough to work surface. Let stand 8 minutes to allow dough to soften slightly if too firm to fold. Spoon fruit and juices into center of dough. Arrange fruit in even 10-inch-diameter layer in center. Brush 2-inch border of dough with egg glaze. Lift about 2 inches of dough border and pinch to form vertical seam. Continue around tart, pinching seam every 2 inches to form standing border. Fold border down over fruit (center 6 inches of fruit remain uncovered). Brush folded border with egg glaze; sprinkle with raw sugar.
• Place baking sheet with tart in oven. Bake until crust is golden brown and fruit filling is bubbling at edges, about 55 minutes. Remove from oven; slide large metal spatula under tart to loosen from parchment. Brush fruit with preserves. Slide tart onto rack. Cool 45 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature with ice cream.
• Available at Italian markets, natural foods stores, and some supermarkets.

NECTARINE PLUM COBBLER

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°. In a large saucepan, combine 3/4 cup sugar and cornstarch. Gradually stir in apple juice until smooth. Stir in plums and nectarines. Cook and stir until mixture comes to a boil; cook 1-2 minutes longer or until thickened and bubbly. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes. , Remove from the heat; cool for 10 minutes. Pour into a greased 13x9-in. baking dish. , In a large bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and remaining 1/2 cup sugar. Cut in butter until crumbly. Make a well in the center; stir in buttermilk just until a soft dough forms. Drop by tablespoonfuls over fruit mixture. Bake until golden brown, 30-35 minutes. Serve warm, with ice cream if desired.

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.

RUSTIC NECTARINE AND RASPBERRY CROSTATA WITH CORNMEAL CRUST

Steps:

• To prepare the crust: Combine first 5 ingredients in food processor and whiz for 5 seconds to blend.
• Add butter, and pulse until butter is pea size.
• Add 1/3 cup ice water and pulse until dough forms moist clumps.
• Add more water by teaspoon fulls if too dry.
• Gather dough into ball, flatten into disc, wrap in plastic and chill for at least one hour.
• Can be made 1 day ahead.
• Let dough sit a few minutes, then roll on lightly floured sheet of parchment paper to a 14 inch round, turning occasionally to prevent sticking.
• Slide a rimless baking sheet under parchment and place disc in fridge for 30 minutes.
• To make Filling: Stir sugar and cornstarch to blend.
• Mix in fruit and vanilla.
• Let stand until juices are released, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 375°F.
• Transfer baking sheet with dough to work surface and let stand for 8 minutes.
• Spoon fruit and juices into center of dough, making a even 10 inch diameter.
• Brush a 2 inch border of dough with egg.
• Lift about 2 inches of dough border and pinch to form vertical seam.
• Pinching every two inches.
• See photo- middle six inches of fruit should remain uncovered.
• Brush folded border with egg and sprinkle with raw sugar.
• Place baking sheet with tart in oven.
• Bake until crust is golden and fruit is bubbling, about 55 minutes.
• Remove from oven and transfer with large spatula to cooling rack.
• Brush fruit with heated preserves.
• Cool 45 minutes.
• Serve warm, or at room temperature.
• A dollop of creme fraiche or vanilla ice cream goes very nicely with a slice of this.

NECTARINE PLUM CROSTADA

Steps:

• To prepare crust, stir together flour, sugar, cinnamon and salt in a medium bowl. Add butter; cut in with the back of a fork until butter is reduced to oatmeal-size pieces. Add 3 tablespoons ice water; toss until moist clumps form, adding more water as needed if dough is too dry. Gather into a ball and flatten into a disk. Wrap and chill for at least 1 hour or up to 1 day. To prepare filling, stir together sugar and cornstarch in a medium bowl. Add fruit and vanilla and toss well to coat. Let stand for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, roll out dough into a 12-inch circle on a lightly floured board. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet; spoon fruit and juices into the center leaving a 2-inch border of dough on the outside. Brush border of dough with egg wash. Fold up and over fruit to partially enclose (center 6-inches of fruit should be uncovered). Brush dough with egg wash and sprinkle with sugar. Bake in preheated 375°F oven for 55 minutes or until crust is golden brown and fruit filling is bubbling at the edges. Remove from oven and loosen tart from parchment with a spatula. Brush with fruit preserves. Slide onto a rack and let cool for 45 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature with ice cream. Makes 8 servings.

NECTARINE PLUM CROSTADA

Steps:

• To prepare crust, stir together flour, sugar, cinnamon and salt in a medium bowl. Add butter; cut in with the back of a fork until butter is reduced to oatmeal-size pieces. Add 3 tablespoons ice water; toss until moist clumps form, adding more water as needed if dough is too dry. Gather into a ball and flatten into a disk. Wrap and chill for at least 1 hour or up to 1 day. To prepare filling, stir together sugar and cornstarch in a medium bowl. Add fruit and vanilla and toss well to coat. Let stand for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, roll out dough into a 12-inch circle on a lightly floured board. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet; spoon fruit and juices into the center leaving a 2-inch border of dough on the outside. Brush border of dough with egg wash. Fold up and over fruit to partially enclose (center 6-inches of fruit should be uncovered). Brush dough with egg wash and sprinkle with sugar. Bake in preheated 375°F oven for 55 minutes or until crust is golden brown and fruit filling is bubbling at the edges. Remove from oven and loosen tart from parchment with a spatula. Brush with fruit preserves. Slide onto a rack and let cool for 45 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature with ice cream. Makes 8 servings. March 2008 California Grown