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-AND-PORT CROSTATA

Steps:

• Pulse flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and the granulated sugar in a food processor. Add butter, and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal. With machine running, slowly add ice water until dough comes together. Shape into a disk. Wrap in plastic. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to 1/8-inch thickness. Fit into an 8-inch pie dish, leaving a 1-inch overhang. Freeze for up to 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Simmer port and 1/2 cup brown sugar in a saucepan over medium heat until reduced to 1/2 cup, about 25 minutes. Transfer to a bowl. Add chile if desired. Cover, and let cool for 10 minutes.
• Stir together remaining 3/4 cup brown sugar and teaspoon salt, the plums, cornstarch, cinnamon, and port syrup. Transfer to pie shell. Fold in overhang to form a crust; brush crust with cream, and sprinkle with sanding sugar. Bake for 30 minutes; reduce oven to 375 degrees. Bake until golden and center is bubbling, about 45 minutes more. Let cool.

PLUM AND PORT CROSTATA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Simmer port and 1/2 cup brown sugar in a saucepan over medium heat until reduced to 1/2 cup, about 25 minutes. Transfer to a bowl. Cover, and let cool 10 minutes.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to 1/8-inch thickness. Fit into an 8-inch pie dish, leaving a 1-inch overhang.
• Stir together remaining 3/4 cup brown sugar and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, plums, cornstarch, cinnamon, and port syrup. Transfer to pie shell. Fold in overhang to form a crust; brush crust with cream, and sprinkle with sanding sugar. Bake 30 minutes; reduce oven to 375 degrees. Bake until golden and center is bubbling, about 45 minutes more. Let cool.

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.

PLUM CROSTATA

Steps:

• In food processor add the 1 1/4 cups of flour, 2 tablesppons sugar and salt - pulse to mix completly. Add butter and pulse to incorperate to resemble a course pea sized mixture. Add cold water slowly and pulse until the dough comes together. (do not over mix) Gather the dough and pat into a rounnd ball wrap in cling wrap and refridgerate for approxiamtely 30 minutes to an an hour.
• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees position the rack to the thrid level - line the baking sheet with parchment paper. Working on a lightly floured surface roll out the dough into a disk shape to approximately 12 inches in diameter, transfer to the baking sheet and chill for another 15 to 30 minutes.
• In a bowl combine the remaining regular sugar plus 2 tablespoons (sugar not raw sugar) with cornstartch, cinnamon and organge zest. Add the plums and toss well. Let the mixture stand stirring every 5 mins or so to release the sugars from the plums for apporximately 15 to 20 minutes or until sugar is dissolved.
• Arrange the fruit in a circular fashion around the dough working into the center making sure to leave a good 1 1/2 inch plus around the outside edges. Fold the dough over onto the plums. Brush the outside rim of dough with the egg yolk whisked with the water - and sprinkle with the raw sugar.
• Bake the crostata for approx 50 mins or until center fruit is bubbling and the outside crust is golden brown - let cool on baking sheet for a good 30 to 40 minutes cut in wedges and serve with ice cream or whipped cream.
• You can fridgerate the actual dough for up to 3 days.

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.