Apple Crostata

Inspired by George Germon and Johanne Killeen Cucina Simpatica

Show: Barefoot ContessaEpisode: Kitchen Clambake

Rated: 5 stars out of 5Rate itRead users' reviews (66)

RECIPE
COMMENTS & REVIEWS(66)

Cook Time:
25 min
Level:
Intermediate
Yield:
6 servings

Times:

Prep: 20 min
Inactive Prep: 1 min
Cook: 25 min
Total:: 46 min

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Ingredients

For the pastry:

1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons granulated or superfine sugar
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 pound (1 stick) very cold unsalted butter, diced
2 tablespoons ice water

For the filling:

1 1/2 pounds McIntosh, Macoun, or Empire apples (3 large)
1/4 teaspoon grated orange zest
1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup granulated or superfine sugar
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) cold unsalted butter, diced

Directions

For the pastry, place the flour, sugar, and salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Pulse a few times to combine. Add the butter and pulse 12 to 15 times, or until the butter is the size of peas. With the motor running, add the ice water all at once through the feed tube. Keep hitting the pulse button to combine, but stop the machine just before the dough becomes a solid mass. Turn the dough onto a well-floured board and form into a disk. Wrap with plastic and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

Flour a rolling pin and roll the pastry into an 11-inch circle on a lightly floured surface. Transfer it to a baking sheet.

For the filling, peel, core, and cut the apples into 8ths. Cut each wedge into 3 chunks. Toss the chunks with the orange zest. Cover the tart dough with the apple chunks leaving a 1 1/2-inch border.

Combine the flour, sugar, salt, cinnamon, and allspice in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture is crumbly. Pour into a bowl and rub it with your fingers until it starts holding together. Sprinkle evenly on the apples. Gently fold the border over the apples to enclose the dough, pleating it to make a circle.

Bake the crostata for 20 to 25 minutes, until the crust is golden and the apples are tender. Allow to cool. Serve warm or at room temperature.

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Comments & Reviews

recipe Apple Crostata
April F, IN 02-06-2010
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OMG - The best dessert I have ever made
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

I am no wimp when it comes to baking and desserts. This hits in two areas - it's easy to make and it tastes wonderful. The... butter in the crust is amazing and slicing the apples thinly really makes the filling flavor seem so delicate. This was a real hit at my dinner party tonight!Read more
recipe Apple Crostata
Susan Chicago, IL 11-19-2009
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Our favorite apple dessert!
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

I love to bake, but I have always struggled with pastry dough. This crust is foolproof -- making dough in the food processor... is the best thing that's ever happened to this baker! Because the crust is "rustic, " you really can't screw it up! The flavor of the filling is fantastic. Any kind of firm, baking apples will work fine. The secret is definitely the orange zest -- so delicious!Read more
recipe Apple Crostata
SOU OLYMPIA, WA 10-22-2009
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Wow!
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

I added sugar, cinammon, tapioca and butter in the apples beside orange zest and orange juice. I also like to mix different... apples (Jonagold, Granny Smith, Golden Delicious etc.). It's fantastic!Read more
recipe Apple Crostata
Brenda Grand Rapids, MI 03-22-2009
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Fruit, Apple and PEAS???
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

HUH??? On the line of ingredients on the basic title of the dessert, it lists: Fruit, Apple and Peas. I read that a few... times and thought, "What???" I "get" where the peas come from...the size of the pastry!!! But I had to laugh when I almost "moved on" rather than make a dessert with peas in it!Read more
recipe Apple Crostata
Carmen Santa Clara, CA 02-08-2009
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Perfect!
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

This is really a wonderful and easy 'apple tart/pie'. I almost like it better than a true deep dish apple pie b/c it's less... filling. Only adjustment I will make is to try it with a bit of lemon juice/zest next time as well, b/c I like a bit more tartness but really, it's wonderful and well worth the effort!Read more
recipe Apple Crostata
Sean Dover, OH 01-13-2009
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My Favorite Dessert!
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

Apple crostata is without a doubt my favorite dessert! I've made it so many times I practically know the recipe by heart. ... The instructions are straightforward and the method for assembling the pastry is far less daunting than making a pie crust. What impresses me most is the pastry; it's light and flaky and serves as the perfect canvas for the fruit. The flavor of the apples is perfectly balanced with the orange zest, cinnamon, and allspice. In my opinion nothing comes close to this crostata.Read more