Family Favorites Summer Fruit Crostata

Messy looking, but oh so good

 This is an excellent variation of a summer fruit pie. Instead of using a pie crust the pastry is formed free style on a baking sheet. I have made it with various fruits. We like Peaches and plums the best. I rarely put the blueberries in. I will warn you that it is a little juicy and not as neat as a slice of pie. But, much easier to make and this is an excellent crust recipe. 

  Here again, I must say that the recipes in any of The Barefoot Contessa's cookbooks work just as written. The times and temperatures are right on. So nice whether you are an old hand at cooking or a newbie.

Summer Fruit Crostata

Ingredients

For the pastry 

1 cups all-purpose flour

1/8 cup granulated or superfine sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 pound (1 sticks) cold unsalted butter, diced

3 tablespoons (3 ounces) ice water

For the Crostata

1 pound ripe peaches, peeled

½ pound firm ripe black plums, unpeeled

½ pint fresh blueberries

1 tablespoon plus ¼ cup all purpose flour, divided

1 tablespoon plus ¼ cup granulated sugar, divided

¼ cup grated orange zest

2 tablespoons orange juice

¼ teaspoon salt

4 tablespoons cold butter, diced

Directions

For the pastry

Place the flour, sugar, and salt in the bowl of a food processor  fitted with a steel blade. Pulse a few times to combine. Add the butter and toss quickly (and carefully!) with your fingers to coat each piece of butter with the flour. Pulse 12 to 15 times, or until the butter is the size of peas. With the motor running, add the ice water all at once through the feed tube. Keep hitting the button to combine, but stop the machine just before the dough comes together. Turn the dough out onto a well-floured board, roll it into a ball,  Wrap the disks in plastic and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Roll the pastry into an 11-inch circle on a lightly floured surface. Transfer it to the baking sheet. (I roll it on the parchment and then you can slide it on the baking sheet.)

For the filling:

Cut the peaches and plums in wedges and place them in a bowl with the blueberries. Toss them with 1 tablespoon of the flour, 1 tablespoon of the sugar, the orange zest, and the orange juice. Place the mixed fruit on the dough circle, leaving a 1 1/2-inch border.

Combine the 1/4 cup flour, the 1/4 cup sugar, and the salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture is crumbly. Pour into a bowl and rub it with your fingers until it starts to hold together. Sprinkle evenly over the fruit. Gently fold the border of the pastry over the fruit, pleating it to make an edge.

Bake the crostata for 20 to 25 minutes, until the crust is golden and the fruit is tender. Let the crostata cool for 5 minutes, then use 2 large spatulas to transfer it to a wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.