Summer Fruit Crostata

Lately, my mom has taken to making variations on this crostata several times per month. It's a simple recipe, and it's a great way to use up leftover ripe fruit. You can substitute whatever fruit you prefer; I made a crostata with black plums, pluots, and peaches. This recipe comes from Ina Garten's "Barefoot Contessa At Home."

One of crostata's many charms is its rustic appearance. My mom prefers to pinch the pastry edges, tart-style, while I prefer to roughly overlap the pastry dough to help seal in the bubbling fruit juices. Just as with the filling, feel free to experiment with the presentation. This is delicious served hot with vanilla ice cream.

SUMMER FRUIT CROSTATA

For the pastry (makes 2 crostatas):

2 c all-purpose flour
1/4 c granulated or superfine sugar
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 lb (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, diced
6 tbs (3 oz) ice water

For the filling (makes 1 crostata):

1 lb firm, ripe peaches, peeled
1/2 lb firm, ripe black plums, unpeeled
1/2 pint fresh blueberries
1 tbs plus 1/4 c all-purpose flour
1 tbs plus 1/4 c granulated sugar
1/4 tsp grated orange zest
2 tbs freshly squeezed orange juice
1/4 tsp kosher salt
4 tbs (1/2 stick) cold unsalted butter, diced

For the pastry, place the flour, sugar, and salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Pulse a few times to combine. Add the buter and toss quickly (and carefully!) with your fingers to coat each cube of butter with the flour. Pulse 12 to 15 times, or until the butter is the size of peas. With the motor running, add the ice water all at once through the feed tube. Keep hitting the pulse button to combine, but stop the machine just before the dough comes together. Turn the dough out onto a well-floured board, roll it into a ball, cut in half, and form into 2 flat disks. Wrap the disks in plastic and refrigerate for at least an hour. If you only need one dough, freeze the second disk.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.

Roll the pastry into an 11" circle on a lightly floured surface. Transfer it to the sheet pan.

For the filling, cut the peaches and plums in wedges and place them in a bowl with the blueberries. Toss them with 1 tbs of the flour, 1 tbs of the sugar, the orange zest, and the orange juice. Place the mixed fruit on the dough circle, leavin a 1 1/2" border.

Combine the 1/4 c flour, the 1/4 c sugar, and the salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture is crumbly. Pour into a bowl and rub it with your fingers until it starts to hold together. Sprinkle evenly over the fruit. Gently fold the border of the pastry over the fruit, pleating it to make an edge.

Bake the crostata for 20 to 25 minutes, until the crust is golden and the fruit is tender. Let the crostata cool for 5 minutes then use 2 large spatulas to transfer it to a wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.