Hmm…what can I tell you about fruit crostatas?
I could go on for days about the perfection of this dessert, how beautifully it suits the multitude of delicious summer fruits that surround us this time of year. I could praise the tasty pastry that envelopes the aforementioned summer fruits, how its sweetness and substantial texture makes you want to bake it up and eat it like cookies. I could gush about the subtle, tangy punch that comes from a small sprinkling of citrus zest, how it wakes up your taste buds and makes you feel all zingy and refreshed. I could tell you about how often I munched portions of these crostatas while wandering around YouTube at two a.m, how its resulting sugar high played with my nonexistent summer sleep schedule.
But I won’t—because these are quick crostatas, not rambling crostatas.
Look at the pictures, take note, and make some for yourself.
Quick Fruit Crostatas
Recipe adapted from “Emergency Fruit Crostatas” from “The Pastry Queen” by Rebecca Rather
1 cup granulated sugar, divided
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
4-6 tablespoons ice water
1 cup fruit (I used peaches and blackberries)
1 teaspoon lemon or lime zest (optional)
juice of half a lemon or half a lime (optional)
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, nonstick aluminum foil, or grease generously.
In a food processor, combine 1/2 cup of the sugar, the flour, and the salt. Add the butter cubes, pulsing several times, until the mixture is crumbly. Add the water, one tablespoon at a time, until the dough comes together. Remove the dough, shape it into a thick disk, and wrap in plastic wrap, storing in the refrigerator for 1 hour, or the freezer for 20 minutes.
Divide the dough into 4 equal portions and roll each into a ball. Use a rolling pin or your hands to flatten the dough into 1/4-inch-thick rounds, with each round being about 6 inches in diameter.
Spoon 1/4 cup of the fruit in each round of dough, leaving a 1 1/2-inch border around all edges. If using lemon or lime zest, sprinkle the teaspoon of zest evenly over the fruits in the crostatas. Again, if using the lemon or lime zest, also give each fruit filling a quick squirt of lemon or lime juice. Feel free to increase the amount of zest or juice if you’d like a more pronounced lemon or lime flavor. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup sugar equally over the fruit in the crostatas. Fold the dough edges toward the center, firmly pinching together the seams between the folds.
Bake the crostatas for 12-14 minutes, until brown around the edges. Cool the crostatas briefly on the baking sheet before transferring them to another serving plate, as they will be difficult to remove from the baking sheet whole if left there too long. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Ooh, I need to use up blackberries before next blackberry picking season … in a few weeks. Eep! I might get a few of these on the go.
I know I always say this, but your photos are gorgeous – I love the wispy lime zest in the sunlight, the blackberries getting sprinkled with sugar, that first one with the peach in the foreground. Aaaah.
These are gorgeous! I love simple fruity, flaky desserts, especially with fresh zest. Those peaches look amazing! Gotta love summer.
Gosh, Koci…these are so PRETTY! I love the contrast of the lime zest w/the blackberries. Pinning these…I think even I could make this dough without goofing it up…
Oooh these look good! I've been going to farmer's markets lately and I always pick up fruit and want to make something like a pie, but never seem to have the time. I love how easy these look!
How many crostatas will this recipe make?
Lovely quick dessert/treat, Koci, and your photos are gorgeous as usual. Love the action shots of the sugar downpour!
These look SO yummy! I really want to make some now!
The pictures are great and I am loving the word quick!
I am completely in love with your vigorous use of lemon zest, citrus lover that I am. Love the look of these little tartlets!
This looks like it would hit the spot! Yum. Love all that zest too!
Wow, these look heavenly! And they super simple. I am going to have to try these out.
these are so gorgeous! I just made my first crostata after Lauren @ FoodieHouse posted some and it really inspired me…I'm so glad I did, they were so much easier to make than I realized and they are just so rustic and beautiful to look at 🙂
Just stunning crostatas! I need to make one soon 🙂
GREAT pictures…what kind of camera do you use?
I'll be trying these soon!
Love- love- love crostatas! Just made some myself. I will take one of each:P
Gorgeous photos!! Love those beautiful juicy fruits and their colours!!
I'm not much of a baker but I feel like I can make this as you mentioned "quick"! I just bookmarked. You take most beautiful step by step photos and I just enjoyed looking how you cook. I wish I have natural light in my kitchen as I always need to turn on lights to cook in the kitchen. I love the simplicity of this dessert and must buy good quality fruits for this!
These look so summery and delicious! I bet I could do some rambling about them myself!