Leslie Mackie's Macrina Bakery & Cafe Cookbook by Leslie Mackie

Author:Leslie Mackie
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Sasquatch Books
Published: 2010-08-16T04:00:00+00:00

FRESH FRUIT CROSTATA

This Italian-style tart can be customized to suit any season. In the winter, it’s delicious filled with pears, apples, and cranberries. In the summer, I like to mix ripe berries with sweet figs. One of my all-time favorites is the combination of blueberries and juicy nectarines, as in the recipe that follows. As always, use the freshest, ripest fruit you can find.

Makes 1 (10-inch) lattice-topped tart

3 cups (1½ pints) blueberries

5 ripe nectarines, washed, pitted, and cut into ¼-inch slices

1½ cups granulated sugar

2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

Freshly squeezed lemon juice (optional)

1 recipe Sesame Almond Dough (page 132), chilled

Egg wash made with 1 egg and 1 teaspoon water

Coarse raw sugar

• Combine 1½ cups of the blueberries, half of the nectarines, and the sugar, flour, lemon zest, and butter in a medium saucepan. Stir with a wooden spoon. Cook over medium heat until the fruit juices have been released and the mixture has thickened, about 10 minutes, stirring frequently to keep the fruit from burning. Pour the cooked fruit into a large stainless steel bowl and add the remaining blueberries and nectarines. Stir with a wooden spoon and set aside to cool. After the fruit has cooled slightly, check the flavor. If needed, add a little freshly squeezed lemon juice to taste. Continue cooling fruit to room temperature.

• Divide the chilled Sesame Almond Dough into 2 pieces, making one piece slightly larger than the other. Place the larger piece of dough in the refrigerator to keep it chilled, and gently form the smaller piece of dough into a ball. Place the dough on a large piece of floured parchment or waxed paper and roll it into a 10-inch square, about ⅛ inch thick. Using a fluted pastry wheel or a sharp knife, cut dough into 1-inch-wide strips. Lift the paper onto a tray or cookie sheet and chill in the refrigerator until you’re ready to top the tart.

• Remove the remaining piece of dough from the refrigerator. Working on a floured surface, gently shape the dough into a ball, then roll it into a 13-inch circle, about ⅛ inch thick. For best results, make sure the dough is very cold. This dough is fragile but resilient. If it cracks, simply press it together with your fingers.

• Using a long knife or offset spatula, gently release the rolled dough from the work surface. Fold the dough in half to make it easier to lift and fit it into a 10-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Using your fingers, press the dough into the tart pan, evenly covering the bottom and sides. If the dough breaks, simply press it together. Once the crust is even, pinch away any excess dough around the rim of the tart pan to create a level edge.

• Pour the cooled fruit mixture into the tart shell, filling it to the top. Remove the strips of dough from the refrigerator. Brush the top edge of the crust with egg wash.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.