I got this awesome recipe from the Martha Stewart Thanksgiving Central site. There are a whopping 71 pies and tarts in her recipe collection but my Dad and I decided that we really wanted to try this awesome Apple Crostata with a free form crust. This (obviously) is Martha’s photo:
It was surprisingly easy to make and it looked really sophisticated when it came out.
Make the Crust first:
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- Salt
- 2 sticks cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
- 1/4 to 1/2 cup ice water
- 1 cup shredded sharp white cheddar cheese
Directions
- Pulse flour and 1 teaspoon salt in a food processor until combined. Add butter, and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal, about 10 seconds. Drizzle 1/4 cup water evenly over mixture. Pulse until mixture just begins to hold together (dough should not be wet or sticky). If dough is too dry, add more water, 1 tablespoon at a time, and pulse. Add cheese; pulse until combined.
- Shape dough into 2 disks, and wrap each in plastic wrap. Refrigerate until chilled, about 30 minutes or up to overnight. (A-M Note: This dough is so delicious that I cannot possibly overestimate the difficulty of not eating it raw and having no crust for the dessert.)
For The Filling
- 2 tart apples, such as Granny Smith or Gala, plus 2 McIntosh apples, peeled, cored, and sliced into 1/2-inch wedges
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 cup apricot preserves, warmed
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- Make the crust: Roll out dough to a 13-inch round, about 1/8 inch thick, on a lightly floured surface. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Refrigerate for 20 minutes.
- Make the filling: Toss together apples, granulated sugar, flour, lemon juice, and cinnamon.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spread filling over dough, leaving a 1 1/2-inch border. Fold edges in to form a crust; brush with egg wash, and sprinkle with sanding sugar. (A-M Note: I just used regular sugar.) Refrigerate until edges are firm, about 30 minutes.
- Bake crostata until apples are tender and crust is golden, about 1 hour 20 minutes. Let cool slightly. Brush apples with apricot preserves. (A-M Note: I let my crostata cool too much and the Apricot Preserves did not melt into the apples and instead stuck on top. I then microwaved it all hoping it would get gooey and melt down into the pie. Yeah, eh, not so much. But, it was still total deliciousness!)
Try this amazing recipe next time you need to make a dessert. It’s easy. It’s fast and it’s a crowd pleaser. The Cheddar Cheese + sweetness of the Apples is an unexpectedly perfect pairing.
