Photo: Pear and Cranberry Crostata Recipe
Ingredients
Pie Dough:
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 sticks chilled unsalted butter, cut into cubes
- 3 egg yolks
- 5 tablespoons milk
Almond Cream:
- 14 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 1/4 cups almond flour
- 4 eggs
- 1/4 cup flour
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch salt
Roasted Pears:
- 6 Bosc pears, peeled, halved, and cored
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter
- 1 (1-inch) piece fresh, peeled ginger, cut into 4 pieces
- 1/2 cup fresh cranberries
- 1 egg, beaten
Directions
Make the Pie Dough: In a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the flour, sugar, and salt and mix to combine. Add the butter and continue mixing until the mixture holds together when you clump it, and there are pecan-sized lumps of butter still visible.
Meanwhile, whisk together the yolks and milk in small bowl.
Add the yolk mixture to the flour mixture and mix until a dough forms. Transfer the dough to a sheet of plastic wrap, wrap well and store in the refrigerator for several hours. (The dough will keep for several days in the fridge and several weeks in the freezer.)
Make the Almond Cream: In the standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add almond flour and mix until just combined. Add eggs and mix until combined. Add flour, vanilla, and salt and mix. Store covered in refrigerator for up to a week.
Make the Roasted Pears: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Toss the pears with the ginger in a roasting pan and arrange them in a single layer. Sprinkle the sugar on top and dot with the butter. Bake, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 45 minutes. Let cool. (Store covered in the refrigerator for up to a week.)
Assemble the Crostata: Using half of the pie dough (reserve half for another use), roll the dough out on a lightly floured work surface into a circle about 12 to 14 inches in diameter and 1/8 inch thick. Transfer the dough to a lightly buttered baking sheet.
Using a spatula, spread a circle of almond cream about 8 inches in diameter in the center of the dough (use about 1/2 cup of the almond cream). Arrange the pears in concentric circles in 2 layers on top of almond cream circle. Sprinkle the cranberries on top of the pears. Fold the edges of the dough in, slightly covering the pears, to form a free-form tart. Brush with the beaten egg and bake until the pastry is golden brown, about 1 hour. Remove from oven, let cool, and serve.
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By couldbe
on May 14, 2011
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I have made these delicious crostata several times (mostly because I spent $11.00 buying the smallest package of almond flour that I could find. Except for the large volume it makes, this is a brilliant recipe! At first I was hesitant about the egg yolks and handling of the dough, but it has always turned out perfect and flaky. I halved the almond cream recipe the second time I made these. It's kind of a time-consuming and multi-phase project (Sandra Lee would NEVER dream of such a thing! but the finished product was a very enjoyable investment of my time!
By raine.storms_12...
Reading, 78
on September 05, 2009
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Yes, this recipe takes some work, but the majority of it can be done in advance. I typically prep the dough a few days in advance, roast the pears the day before, make the almond paste a day before. So, all that's left to do is assemble.
I didn't modify a thing except to use more almond cream, like a lot of people suggested! (As a side note, you can add some flour and baking soda/powder to the remainder of the almond cream and make the dough into cookies - very light and sweet! Katie was right in saying that cold dough is key in keeping the crust together. One more note about the almond paste. I couldn't find any almond flour in the store, so I made my own by grinding almond slices. It tastes every bit as good, and is probably a bit grittier in texture than if I'd used the regular almond flour.
Also, put it together as tightly as possible - it does bake down a bit in the oven. After making it once, I was able to anticipate how it would look and could put it together for presentation as well as taste. This is definitely one of the best pies I've ever made and it's become a Thanksgiving staple!
By margaret.woosle...
Dover, PA
on December 24, 2008
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I've made this several times and always get great reviews. Make it easier by buying the almond cream. It comes in a little can where you buy pie filling. Then you can use as much as you like, with the speciality almond flour that was very difficult for me to find the first time.
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