Recipe: Strawberry Crostata

A rustic crostata is perfectly imperfect. The fruit pastries are simple for novice bakers to execute, yet taste as lovely as the most intricate pie.

Photo by Elizabeth Gelineau

1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 stick cold unsalted butter, diced
1/2 cup ice water
4 cups strawberries, rinsed, hulled and halved
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons strawberry jam
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon orange zest
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed orange juice
1 extra-large egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water, for egg wash
turbinado sugar, to taste
vanilla ice cream or whipped cream for serving

1. Place the flour, sugar and salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Pulse a few times to combine. Add the butter and toss into the flour with your fingers to coat. Pulse again until the butter is the size of peas. With the motor running, add the ice water through the feed tube. Continue pulsing until the dough comes together.
2. Turn dough onto a well-floured board and form into a disk. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour.
3. In a large bowl, combine strawberries and next 5 ingredients until well combined.
4. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Roll the pastry on a lightly floured surface until it forms a 12-inch circle and transfer to the parchment-lined pan. Pile the strawberries in the middle of the pastry, leaving a 1 1/2 inch border of pastry. Fold the excess pastry up over the filling, pleating where necessary. Brush the pastry edges with the egg wash and sprinkle with turbinado sugar to taste. Bake for 35 minutes, until the pastry is browned and the filling is bubbly. Allow to cool for 30 minutes.
5. Top with ice cream or whipped cream and serve warm or at room temperature. Serves 8.

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