MAKES: 6 servings TESTED BY: Juli H.

096 Mixed-Berry Crostata

TASTING COMMENTS:

This is a hybrid between a fresh berry tart and a fruit-filled pie. It starts with a baked berry filling and finishes with juicy fresh berries tossed in sugar and lemon juice. We held the amount of sugar in both to a minimum to allow the flavor of the fruit to really shine through.—JH

prep 25 minutes bake 45 minutes at 375°F cool 45 minutes stand 1 hour

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. On a lightly floured sheet of parchment paper roll Crostata Pastry to a 16×12-inch oval. Transfer pastry on parchment paper to a baking sheet.

2. For filling, in a medium bowl stir together the ⅓ cup sugar and the cornstarch. Add 1½ cups of the strawberries, 1½ cups of the blueberries, and 1½ cups of the raspberries; toss to coat. Spread filling on pastry, leaving a 2-inch border. Fold crust over filling. In a bowl whisk together egg and the water; brush over edges of pastry; sprinkle pastry with coarse sugar. Bake 25 minutes. Cut an oval out of foil to cover exposed filling. Bake 20 minutes more or until filling is bubbly and pastry is golden brown. Cool crostata on baking sheet on a wire rack 45 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, for berry topping, in a bowl stir together the remaining berries, the 3 Tbsp. sugar, and the lemon juice. Let stand at room temperature at least 1 hour. Spread topping over the fruit filling.

Crostata Pastry In a medium bowl stir together 1½ cups flour, 2 Tbsp. sugar, and ½ tsp. salt. Cut ⅓ cup cold butter into pieces. Using a pastry blender or two knives, cut butter pieces into flour mixture until pieces are pea size. In a small bowl whisk together ⅓ cup cold water and 1 egg yolk. Sprinkle 1 Tbsp. of the water mixture over part of the flour mixture; toss with a fork. Push moistened pastry to sides of bowl. Repeat moistening flour mixture, using 1 Tbsp. of the water mixture at a time, until all of the flour mixture is moistened. Using your fingers, gently knead the dough just until a ball forms.

Per serving 393 cal., 13 g fat (7 g sat. fat), 89 mg chol., 300 mg sodium, 66 g carb., 6 g fiber, 32 g sugars, 6 g pro.

fresh berries make all the difference! When the crostata first goes into the oven, toss together the fresh berry topper, which needs to stand at least an hour before it goes on the crostata. The standing time will allow the sugar and lemon juice to draw out the natural juices in the berries to create a sweet-tart sauce.

Mixed-Berry Crostata

TESTING NOTES

1. For an easy transfer to the baking sheet, roll out the pastry dough on a lightly floured piece of parchment paper, then simply slide the whole thing onto the pan—paper and all! The light-color parchment paper is oven-safe up to 425°F.

2. Heap the berry filling onto the center of the pastry oval, leaving a 2-inch border of pastry around the outside. This extra pastry will be folded up to partially hug the filling, holding it in place during baking.

3. Using the parchment paper as a guide, fold one part of the pastry up and over the filling. This will keep the pastry from tearing or ripping as you work with it.

4. Continue folding the pastry up and over the filling in sections, overlapping to create pleats. Continue folding and pleating all around the pastry oval. There is no right or wrong way to do this. Just nestle the pastry against the filling.

5. Brushing the pastry with egg wash does double duty—first, it gives the sugar something to stick to so it doesn’t just fall off; second, it turns the crust a golden brown during baking.

6. To prevent the berries from getting dry or crispy during the last part of the baking time, cut or fold a piece of foil to fit just over the exposed filling in the center. Don’t let the foil cover the crostata beyond the filling or the pastry won’t brown evenly.