Real African Dishes: [MC-AllEthnic-Recipes] Roman Tart Cherry Crostata

Wednesday, June 22, 2011

[MC-AllEthnic-Recipes] Roman Tart Cherry Crostata

* Exported from MasterCook *

Roman Tart Cherry Crostata

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 8 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : LowCal (Less than 300 cals)

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
4 ounces all-purpose flour -- (about ¾ cup)
4 ounces semolina -- (scant ¾ cup)
10 tablespoons cold salted butter -- (1 ¼ sticks) cut into ½-inch cubes
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 egg -- beaten and divided (2 tablespoons for dough, the rest for glaze)
6 tablespoons cold water
1/2 cup sugar -- plus for rolling out dough and sprinkling under crostata and over the edge
1 tablespoon heavy whipping cream
To fill: -- Tart Cherry Preserves (see recipe below)

In bowl, mix flour, semolina, butter and salt just enough to coat butter cubes. Add to a food processor and pulse quickly - about 30 times - until butter is the size of very small peas. Mix water and 2 tablespoons of the beaten egg and add to flour mixture, with machine running, until dough just comes together (do not overmix).

Remove dough from processor, flour your hands, and form dough into a cohesive 5-inch-diameter circle. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate half an hour.

Roll out dough - with enough sugar (about ¼ cup) to keep it from sticking to the table - into a 13-inch-diameter circle about ¼ inch thick. Line a half-sheet pan with parchment paper and sprinkle ¼ cup sugar evenly into about a 13-inch circle. Position dough circle over the sugar. Place Tart Cherry Preserves in center of dough and even out to within 2 inches of the edge. Pleat over the edge of dough just over the preserves toward the center of the crostata, so that fruit shows in the center.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees and refrigerate crostata for 15 minutes.

Mix reserved beaten egg with heavy cream and brush onto the pleated top edge of the dough, then lightly sprinkle
with sugar. Bake in preheated oven about 20 to 25 minutes, until golden, caramelized and crispy (if tart is getting too dark, lower heat to 375 degrees). Serve warm or room temperature.

Makes one 10-inch crostata

Sanford "Sandy" D'Amato, chef/co-owner of Sanford Restaurant, 1547 N. Jackson St., is a James Beard Award winner. For more information, visit http://www.sanfordrestaurant.com/.

After a brilliant dinner in Rome this past January, I ordered a wild cherry crostata to finish off the evening. Romans aren't known for indulging in decadent desserts, but along with many other things, Rome has a long, long love affair with cherries, going all the way back to the B.C. years (which obviously does not stand for "Before Cherries").

The crostata is a free-form tart with a slightly granular crust that gives it a toothsome bite. It is a perfect foil for the sweet preserves that are judiciously spaced along the interior.

The crostata I'm making today is a touch less sweet than the one I had in Rome. Reducing the fresh tart cherries (or even the individual quick-frozen cherries if you're using them) in their own juices produces a quick preserve consistency that intensifies the true cherry flavor. The crispy, slightly caramelized crust makes a perfect platform to direct them toward your waiting mouth.

Tart cherry preserves:
2 pounds pitted tart cherries, or individual quick-frozen tart cherries, thawed
6 tablespoons sugar
1 spice bag filled with:
1 (5-inch) sprig rosemary
2 bay leaves
1 (3-inch) stick cinnamon
1 teaspoon crushed black peppercorns

Place all ingredients in a saucepan over medium heat (do not let flames go over sides of pan). Cook, stirring regularly with a heatproof spatula, for about 15 minutes. Strain into a bowl, remove spice bag, and add liquid back to pan. Continue cooking liquid - stirring regularly - as liquid dissipates to a preserve consistency. Add cherries back in, continue cooking and stirring until there is no runny liquid, but mixture is not dry (a preserve consistency). Scrape into a bowl, cover and cool in refrigerator until needed.

Cuisine:
"Italian"
Source:
"Milwaukee Journal Sentinel"
S(Formatted by Chupa Babi):
"June 2011"
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Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 294 Calories; 16g Fat (48.6% calories from fat); 4g Protein; 34g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 68mg Cholesterol; 215mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1 1/2 Grain(Starch); 0 Lean Meat; 0 Non-Fat Milk; 3 Fat; 1 Other Carbohydrates.

Nutr. Assoc. : 0 1354 222 0 0 0 0 0 0