Crostata

• Detesto l'uomo che manda giù il suo cibo non sapendo che cosa mangia. Dubito del suo gusto in cose più importanti.

 I hate the man who eats without knowing what he's eating. I doubt his taste in more important things

Charles Lamb

Procrastination... We all know this definition all too well. Or is it that I get easily distracted , by something "shiny and new"? ( and I am not talk'n The Love Boat here..)  That I loose focus from my original plan .. HMMM

 Here is my example...

I of course had this recipe in my back pocket since....... ahem..... 1994 .- 16 years I have kept this recipe! Was I procrastinating all that time?..or did I find something better to bake :)  So now was my opportunity to FINALLY try it. I finally lay my burden down :) That is why I did not use the crust recipe from the challenge ( see below) Maybe in another 16 years I will get to it.

Crostata

adapted from Better Homes and Gardens Dec 1994

Serves 8-10

 

Ingredients

2 cups all purpose flour

1/3 cup sugar

1/1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/3 cup unsalted butter

1 egg slightly beaten

1/3 cup whole milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

4 cups peeled, sliced or cubed apples

1/2 cup tart cherries

2/3 cup apple jelly

dash teaspoon cinnamon extract

dash of anise extract

Milk for brushing

Sugar for dusting

Directions

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.

In a mixing bowl sift together flour, sugar, and baking powder. Cut in butter till mixture resembles course crumbs. Combine eggs, milk, vanilla; add to flour mixture. Shape into a ball.

On a lightly floured surface , knead dough gently 10 -12 strokes, or until smooth. Wrap and chill ONE-THIRD of dough. Roll out remaining dough in a circle and press gently into a 10 inch tart pan with removable bottom.

Arrange apples and cherries on pastry  in tart pan . Gently warm apple jelly in pan on stove, add a dash of cinnamon and anise , and spoon over apples and cherries. 

Pastry top Decoration

Roll remaining one -third (chilled pastry) , on a lightly floured  surface into a 10 inch circle. Cut into twelve wedges. Twist each wedge twice at the narrow end. Arrange in a circle atop the pastry apples in tart pan. Brush with milk. Sprinkle with sugar.

Bake at 375 degrees in oven for 40- 45 minutes, until fruit is tender. Cool before removing tart shell.

Blog-checking lines:
The 2010 November Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Simona of briciole. She chose to challenge Daring Bakers’ to make pasta frolla for a crostata. She used her own experience as a source, as well as information from Pellegrino Artusi’s Science in the Kitchen and the Art of Eating Well.

The Daring Baker's did it again with another fabulous challenge!

This crostata is a variation from the original. You can mix and match many fresh fruit flavors, preserves and dried fruit. The dried fruit plumps up from the fresh fruit moisture when baking. I added the Anis for that traditional Italian flavor. I know many people who do not like Anis, however, I am not one of them :)

Version 1 of pasta frolla-Daring Bakers Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1/2 c. minus 1 tablespoon [105 ml, 100 g, 3 ½ oz] superfine sugar, or a scant 3/4 cup [180ml, 90g, 3 oz] of powdered sugar
• 1 and 3/4 cup [420 ml, 235 g, 8 1/4 oz.] unbleached all-purpose flour
• a pinch of salt
• 1 stick [8 tablespoons / 4 oz. / 115 g] cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• grated zest of half a lemon (you could also use vanilla sugar as an option)
• 1 large egg and 1 large egg yolk, lightly beaten in a small bowl

CHOMP CHOMP!