Rhubarb Crostata

This is my new favourite go-to recipe now for rhubarb and as mine starts to die down for winter, it’s a great time to get one into the oven.  A crostata is an Italian version of the french galette – a freeform pastry dough turned over at the edge to hold perfectly cooked fruit. It is very quick and easy and looks fabulous. The crust is buttery and crunchy and stays firm enough to eat a wedge with your hands so a great picnic option.  You can use any other fruit as well and I have used gooseberries and also summer peaches.

Here in our cool temperate climate at Midwinter our rhubarb is dying back like a proper perennial to get ready to burst forth anew in spring. The last few stalks of one plant in particular have been a gorgeous ruby red, cooking up into a delightful pink. If you live in a warmer climate than you might still have some in your garden to have this fresh vege/fruit over the season.

This is going to become one of those recipes that you will start to make without referring to the recipe – its so easy. You will get the best results with cold butter and cold water – and chilling the pastry. Here is the recipe but you can now download your own printable pdf by clicking on the button at the end.

Ingredients

• 1+ 1/4 cups of plain flour.  (approx. 225grams)

• 100 grams cold butter  (grated – see note)

• 1 tbsp icing sugar or very fine sugar

• 2-3 tbsp chilled water

For the fruit filling

• 1+1/2 -2 cups of rhubarb or other fresh fruit

• 2 tbps sugar

• 2 tbsp cornflour

• Lemon juice(depending on what fruit you are using)

Method

• Heat oven to 190 celcius

• Combine flour, sugar and butter in a bowl or food processer. Pulse until it turns into coarse crumb-like mix.   Or put into large bowl and use a knife to mix together to form crumb.

• Add 2 tbsps cold water and mix to thick dough. Add extra tblsp if still too dry.

• Bring together with your hands and form a disk shape. Cover with wrap and refrigerate to chill.

• Prepare fruit by chopping into small pieces.  Sprinkle over sugar and cornflour and (lemon juice if using)and combine in a bowl. Let stand until ready.

• Prepare a baking tray with a sheet of baking paper.  Using a small dinner plate, trace a circle on the paper. About 23 cm in diameter.  10-12 inches

• Take the chilled dough out of the fridge, sprinkle a little icing sugar onto the paper and roll out to about 4mm (¼ inch) thick, extending beyond the circle by a 4 cms or so.   I find it helpful to use the same plate to gently put on top of pastry and use a knife to mark out the same circle.

• Pile the fruit in the middle and spread around to inside the circle.   Then fold the dough back over the top to form an edge.

• Using an egg or milk wash on the pastry edge and sprinkle  with sugar for extra crunch.