A crostata is a rustic free form fruit or savory pie. It is not baked in a pie pan, but on a cookie sheet. Crostata is the Italian version while galette is French. The two words are interchangeable. For this recipe, I generally make a two crust pie pastry. I use one for the crostata and freeze the other for later use. The crumble topping on this crostata makes this version a little unique. This is the easiest way that I know of to make a "pie" from scratch. Give it a try. It is fun and quite easy.
Ingredients:
For the Crust
2 Cups All Purpose Flour
1/2 tsp Salt
1 TBSP Sugar
6 Ounces(stick and a half) of chilled unsalted butter cut into pea size pieces
4 TBSP chilled shortening cut into small pieces
A scant half cup of iced water
1 Egg beaten with a TBSP of water
Turbinado Sugar
For the Filling:
5-6 Large Granny Smith Apples, Peeled and Cored and cut into thin slices. (about 5 cups)
1/4 Cup Packed Brown Sugar
1/4 Cup Granulated Sugar
1 tsp Cornstarch
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
Zest of One Lemon
1/4 tsp Vanilla Extract
For the Crumble:
1/4 Cup Packed Brown Sugar
1/4 Cup Granulated Sugar
11/2 Cups All Purpose Flour
1/4 tsp Ground Cinnamon
4 TBSP Unsalted Butter, melted and cooled to room temperature.
Preparation:
Combine the flour, sugar and salt for the crust in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade. Pulse four or five times to sift together. Add the butter and shortening and pulse 10-12 times until the dough looks crumbly and the butter and shortening are small pea size and well combined into the dry ingredients. Turn the machine on and pour the iced water down the tube of the processor all at once. Turn machine off and then pulse a few times until dough starts to mass on the blade. If the dough looks too dry add water a few drops at a time and pulse again. Turn dough out onto a floured board. With the heel of your hand press the pastry out and away from you a few times. This will do the final blending of the butter and shortening into the flour. Gather the dough into a ball. Cut into two equal pieces. Form each piece into a disc. Wrap one piece in plastic wrap and freeze. Wrap the second piece in plastic wrap and refrigerate for one hour.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. While pastry is in the fridge, make the filling by combining all of the filling ingredients in a bowl and folding together. Set aside. Make the crumble by combining the granulated sugar, brown sugar, flour and cinnamon in a bowl. Stir together and then drizzle in the melted butter and stir with a fork until the mixture is crumbly and all of the flour is incorporated.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Remove dough from fridge and let sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes. Place dough on a lightly floured surface. Roll dough out into an oval shape that is roughly 14" long and 12" wide. Transfer to parchment covered baking sheet. Arrange the filling in the center of the oval leaving a 2-3 inch border all around the outside of the oval. Brush the exposed border of the dough with the egg wash, and fold the border up and over the filling, pleating as you go. Now brush the outside of the folded edge with the egg wash and sprinkle with the turbinado sugar. Pour any juice left in the filling bowl over the exposed fruit filling. Cover the exposed fruit with the crumble topping.
Bake for 40 to 50 minutes until crust is golden brown.
