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RECIPE?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!
An inspired combination of figs, raspberries, fresh thyme, orange zest, and honey makes these Italian-style pies an unexpected change from the familiar. Yields ten. From this month's Fine Cooking.
For the dough
7-1/2 oz. (1-2/3 cups) unbleached all-purpose flour
3-3/4 oz. (3/4 cup) whole-wheat flour
1/4 cup plus 1/2 Tbs. granulated sugar
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
9 oz. (1 cup plus 2 Tbs.) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
For the filling
3/4 lb. small fresh figs (preferably Brown Turkey), quartered (about 2 cups)
6 oz. fresh raspberries (1-1/2 cups)
1/3 cup plus 2 Tbs. granulated sugar
3 Tbs. plus 1 tsp. honey
1 Tbs. fresh thyme, roughly chopped (I used basil)
2 tsp. finely grated orange zest
3 Tbs. plus 1 tsp. graham cracker crumbs (I used corn flake crumbs)
1 oz. (2 Tbs.) cold unsalted butter, cut into
1-1/2 Tbs. heavy cream
Make the dough
Put the flours, sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a food processor. Add the butter and pulse in short bursts until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Add 3 Tbs. cold water and pulse. If the mixture seems dry, add water 1 Tbs. at a time, pulsing until the dough just starts to come together. Do not overprocess. Turn the dough out onto a clean work surface, gather it together, and portion it into ten 2-1/2-oz. rounds. Flatten them into disks, wrap individually in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 3 days.
When ready to bake, position racks in the bottom and top thirds of the oven and heat the oven to 400°F. Line 2 large rimmed baking sheets with parchment.
On a lightly floured surface with a lightly loured rolling pin, roll each dough disk into a 5-1/2-inch round thats about 1/8 inch thick. Put 5 rounds on each baking sheet.
Make the filling
In a medium bowl, lightly toss the figs, raspberries, 1/3 cup of the sugar, the honey, thyme (or basil! It was great with basil), and orange zest until combined. I tossed in some blueberries, too.
Assemble and bake the crostatas
Tip: Graham cracker crumbs sprinkled in the center of each dough round soak up juices released by the fruit during baking, preventing soggy bottoms. (The corn flake crumbs worked excellent)
Sprinkle each round of dough with 1 tsp. graham cracker crumbs, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Put a generous 1/4 cup of the fig mixture in the center of each dough round, mounding the fruit. Top each tart with a butter slice.
Fold the edges of the dough over some of the fruit to create a 1-inch rim, leaving the center exposed. Work your way around, pleating the dough as you go. With a pastry brush, brush the crust of each crostata with cream and sprinkle the crusts and filling with the remaining 2 Tbs. sugar.
Bake until the crostatas are golden-brown, 30 to 35 minutes, swapping and rotating the baking sheets positions about halfway through baking.
Transfer the baking sheets to racks to cool for about 5 minutes. Then loosen the crostatas with an offset spatula and cool completely on the sheets. The crostatas are best the day theyre made.
To die for.
