Fresh Fig and Almond Crostata

 

 

This weeks Mom’s Tuesday Test Kitchen is from Martha Stewart’s Everyday Food October 2008.

Mom Says:   The Figs were some of the nicest I’ve seen this season.    The crust for the tart was the highlight…all butter…crisp, light and tasty.   The filling didn’t have much of an almond taste and next time I’ll increase the almonds from ½ cup to at least ¾ and cut down on the sugar.   It was too sweet and over powered the figs.   The egg wash dressed the crostata up, looked nice, but not necessary.   The crust? Ten out of ten and will make an apple crostata later in the week.

For the dough:

1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour – and a bit more for rolling out

½ teaspoon sugar

½ teaspoon salt

½ cup chilled butter cut into pieces

2-4 tablespoon ice water

For the filling:

½ cup blanched almonds

½ cup sugar

2 large eggs

4 tablespoons butter – room temperature

2 teaspoons all purpose flour

¼ teaspoon vanilla extract

1/8-teaspoon salt

1 pound ripe fresh figs – stemmed and thinly sliced

1 tablespoon lemon juice

Make dough:   in a food processor pulse flour, sugar and salt to combine.   Add butter; pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal, with a few pea-size pieces of butter remaining.   Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons ice water, pulse until dough is crumbly but holds together when squeezed (if necessary gradually add up to 2 tablespoons more water).   Do not over mix.   Flatten dough into a disk; wrap tightly in plastic.   Refrigerate until firm at least 1 hour and up to 3 days.

Preheat oven to 350 ° F

Make filling:   in a food processor, combine almonds and sugar.   Process until finely ground. Add 1 egg, butter, flour, vanilla, and salt; pulse until smooth and set aside.   In a medium bowl, combine figs and lemon juice; set aside.

On a large lightly floured piece of parchment paper, roll dough to a 14-inch round.   Spread almond filling in center, leaving a 2-inch border; to with fig mixture.   Fold border over edge of filling, pleating all around; press down gently to seal.   In a small bowl, mix remaining egg with 1 teaspoon water; brush dough with egg wash.

Lifting edges of parchment, transfer crostata to a rimmed baking sheet.   Bake until crust is golden brown, about 1 hour.   Let cool in baking sheet at least 30 minutes.   To serve, cut crostata into wedges

*   From Martha Stewart’s Everyday Food, October 2008