Blueberry Crostata

Another recipe using wonderful blueberries!  Since they are in season right now and plentiful for the picking, I’m pulling out my favorite blueberry recipes.  This is a new recipe I just tried, but I can tell you it will get a lot of use in the future.  It’s super easy and the crust for this is absolutely delightful!  It’s worth making it just to taste this crust!  You would have a hard time messing this one up.  The dough is easy to make and easy to handle.  The crostata is  free formed and rustic in appearance so there’s no wrong way to do it.  Once again, I insist that you try this with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream on top of the warm crostata.  The fruit filling only contains one Tablespoon of sugar, but it works just fine with the addition of ice cream.  If you prefer a sweeter filling (more like a pie), add more sugar.

Ingredients for the filling:

2 heaping cups fresh blueberries (or use frozen if fresh aren’t available)

1 heaping Tablespoon flour

1 heaping Tablespoon sugar (or more if you aren’t topping with ice cream or if you desire a sweeter filling)

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

2 Tablespoons butter

Ingredients for the crust:

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

2 Tablespoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup butter refrigerated, cut into chunks ( do not substitute margarine)

1/2 cup shortening

1/3 cup ice water (you may not use the full amount)

Directions:

To make the crust, fit a food processor with the steel blade and add the flour, sugar, and salt to the work bowl.  Pulse for a few seconds to combine.

Add the shortening and the cubed butter to the work bowl.

Pulse to combine until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

Add the ice water, a little at a time with the machine running until the dough pulls together in a mass.  You might not use all the water (I didn’t).

Remove the ball of dough from the food processor and place on a square of wax paper.

Gently shape it into a disc and place another sheet of wax paper on top.

Pat out into a thick disc and wrap the wax paper up and around the edges and place in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes, remove the dough from the refrigerator and roll out between the two sheets of wax paper to form a circle  until it is approximately 1/4 inch thick.  Your circle does not have to be perfect, remember it’s supposed to look rustic and free formed!

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Peel the wax paper off of one side of the dough.  Gently lay the uncovered side down on the parchment on the baking sheet.   Peel the other wax paper off.

In a medium bowl, combine the blueberries, flour, sugar, and cinnamon.  Toss it with a spoon a few times to combine.

Pour the fruit mixture into the center of the dough circle.

Disperse the two Tablespoons of butter over the blueberry mixture.

Gently pull up the sides of the dough, one section at a time up and around  the blueberry filling to hold it in place.

Sprinkle the additional 2 Tablespoons of sugar over the folded edge of the crostata.

Bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes or until the crust is golden brown and the fruit is bubbly.

Slice into wedges and serve warm with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Blueberry Crostata (printer friendly version with no pictures. Highlight and print selection)

Ingredients for the filling:

2 heaping cups fresh blueberries (or use frozen if fresh aren’t available)

1 heaping Tablespoon flour

1 heaping Tablespoon sugar (or more if you aren’t topping with ice cream or if you desire a sweeter filling)

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

2 Tablespoons butter

Ingredients for the crust:

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

2 Tablespoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup butter refrigerated, cut into chunks ( do not substitute margarine)

1/2 cup shortening

1/3 cup ice water (you may not use the full amount)

To make the crust, fit a food processor with the steel blade and add the flour, sugar, and salt to the work bowl.  Pulse for a few seconds to combine.

Add the shortening and the cubed butter to the work bowl.

Pulse to combine until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

Add the ice water, a little at a time with the machine running until the dough pulls together in a mass.  You might not use all the water (I didn’t).

Remove the ball of dough from the food processor and place on a square of wax paper.  Gently shape it into a disc and place another sheet of wax paper on top.  Pat out into a thick disc and wrap the wax paper up and around the edges and place in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes, remove the dough from the refrigerator and roll out between the two sheets of wax paper to form a circle  until it is approximately 1/4 inch thick.  Your circle does not have to be perfect, remember it’s supposed to look rustic and free formed!

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Peel the wax paper off of one side of the dough.  Gently lay the uncovered side down on the parchment on the baking sheet.  Peel the other wax paper off.

In a medium bowl, combine the blueberries, flour, sugar, and cinnamon.  Toss it with a spoon a few times to combine.  Pour the fruit mixture into the center of the dough circle.

Disperse the two Tablespoons of butter over the blueberry mixture.

Gently pull up the sides of the dough, one section at a time up and around  the blueberry filling to hold it in place.

Sprinkle the additional 2 Tablespoons of sugar over the folded edge of the crostata.

Bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes or until the crust is golden brown and the fruit is bubbly.

Slice into wedges and serve warm with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream.