I made this earlier in July – on the day my camera died. And so knowing how badly I’d surely want to photograph it, I stashed the dough and filling in the fridge overnight and assembled it the next day, using it for the trial run with my brand new camera. Which I’m not quite used to yet, and learning to use on a need-to-know basis.

This crostata was one of those things I saw and had to make – a raspberry and rhubarb crostata that was in fact more like an enormous cookie, only less sweet and with a grainy crust with the qualities of a smooth, sandy sable. That last part may have been me – I pushed the graininess a little further by using whole wheat pastry flour and oat flour, which dialed down the gluten and made the crust very tender, and a bit crumbly. Feel free to revert to the original – I won’t be offended.

The filling is cooked first, and chilled – it could conceivably be made in advance, along with the dough, and assembled when you need something to smell fantastic when you have friends coming over.

Rhubarb and Raspberry Crostata

AuthorJulie

Adapted from a recipe by Karen DeMasco / Bon Appetit by way of Lottie and Doof.

Yields1 Serving

Crust:

1 cup all-purpose or whole wheat flour

1/2 cup whole wheat or oat flour

1 Tbsp sugar

1/4 tsp salt

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) chilled butter, cubed

1 large egg

1 Tbsp milk

Filling:

1/4 cup cornstarch

4 cups chopped rhubarb (about 1 lb. or so)

1 cup fresh raspberries

2/3 cup sugar

1 large egg, lightly beaten

coarse sugar, for sprinkling (optional)

To make the crust, combine both flours, sugar, and salt in a processor; blend then add butter and pulse until the butter is reduced to pea-size pieces. Whisk egg and milk in a small bowl; add to the processor and pulse until moist clumps form. Gather the dough into a ball; flatten into a disk. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for an hour. (Can be made 2 days ahead.)

To make the filling, combine the rhubarb, raspberries, sugar and cornstarch in a large heavy saucepan with about 2 Tbsp water to help get it started. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until sugar dissolves and juices are released, about 4 minutes. Increase the heat and bring to a boil (rhubarb will not be tender and slices will still be intact), then remove from the heat and cool to room temperature.

Preheat the oven to 400° F. Roll the dough out into a 12-inch round and place on a parchment-lined sheet; mound filling in the middle of the pastry, leaving 1 1/2-inch border around the edge. Gently fold the edges of dough over the filling, folding as it naturally folds. Brush the pastry with beaten egg and sprinkle with coarse sugar. Bake until crust is golden brown and filling is bubbly, about 45 minutes.

Let the crostata cool on baking sheet on a rack. Transfer to a cutting board, cut into wedges, and serve with whipped cream or ice cream. Serves 6-8.

Categorypie

Ingredients