APRICOT AND CHERRY CROSTATA

SERVES 6-8

Ingredients:

For Crust

1 cup all purpose unbleached flour

1 Tbsp sugar

¼ tsp salt

½ cup (1 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into pieces

2 Tbsp ice water (more if needed)

 

For Filling:

7-8 large apricots (about 6 oz)

1 cup halved pitted cherries (about 10 oz)

1/3 cup sugar

½ cup apricot preserves

 

1.       To make the crust, blend flour, sugar and salt in processor.  Add the butter, cutting in with fork or pastry tool.  Blend in water, a spoon at a time until moist clumps start, form into a ball.  Flatten out and then roll out to diameter 10 inch round.  Carefully slide dough into a tart pan or pie pan.  Place in refrigerator until needed.

2.       Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

3.       Remove pie crust from refrigerator and pierce with fork a few times.  Bake crust in preheated oven until set.  Pierce with fork if it bubbles.  Bake for 20-25 minutes.  Cool on rack.

4.       Blanch apricots in pot of boiling water for one minute.  Transfer to bowl of ice water.  Drain, peel, halve and pit the apricots.

5.       Cut each apricot half into wedges.  Set aside.

6.       Arrange apricot wedges rounded side down onto crust.  Arrange cherries over and sprinkle with sugar. 

7.       Bake crostata about 40-50 minutes in preheated oven, until apricots are tender.

8.       Remove from oven and transfer to rack.  Meanwhile, stir apricot preserves in a small saucepan over low heat until melted.  Strain in mesh and brush strained preserves over the crostata.  Remove from pan. 

9.       Serve slightly warm or at room temperature with whipped cream or ice cream.