pear and rhubarb crostata

I love Crostata, simply because they are rustic, not many rules. As you would have guessed I am not a big fan of rules in the kitchen. I am also not a big fan of accommodating the whole world when they are invited to eat at my house…..

WARNING……WARNING…here comes a rant:

~Do not send me hate mail… (please)

~I don’t care if you are a vegetarian, vegan, meat-eater, meat hater, unstable or unreliable. If I invite you and you accept: game on! (allergies being a different story….I don’t want to hurt anyone!)

~(this one will get me in trouble I bet) Why is it that when a vegetarian goes to eat at someone’s house they request vegetarian food, yet when a meat eater goes to a vegetarian’s house to eat they cannot request meat? Am I making sense here? Probably not. I just don’t understand why one “group” is allowed to request special food and not the other?

time to change the subject: Pear and Rhubarb Crostata

So the Crostata…I was snubbed not too long ago because I don’t like to make pie dough. I just don’t, end of story. I was also laughed at my pie making effort! OK…fine! So I am making Crostata, it’s easy, free formed and the uglier the better, in my mind anyway!

Ingredients:

Store bought pie dough (NO KIDDING!)

For the filling:

2 pears, peeled, cored and sliced

4 rhubarb stems cleaned, and diced (about 2 cups)

3 tablespoons cornstarch

1/4 cup sugar

pinch salt

For the topping:

1/4 cup flour

1/4 cup sugar

pinch salt

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

pinch ground cloves

4 tablespoon unsalted butter, cold

1 egg

1 tablespoon raw sugar

How to:

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. (or Silpat but for my pics I think parchment will look best) Set aside.

In a medium bowl combine your topping ingredients: flour, sugar, salt, cinnamon and ground cloves. Cut your butter into small cubes and with the best tools in the world (your hands/fingers) combine everything until your get a soft crumbly mixture. Set aside.

Crostata topping

In a large bowl combine your rhubarb, pears, cornstarch, sugar and pinch salt. Combine well. Set aside.

Lay your pie dough on your prepared baking sheet. Put your filling in the center (it will be high but don’t worry) simply leave a 2-inch border all around. Fold your dough over the side of your filling, pinching it every few inches.

make a beautiful mound of fruits!

folding and pinching…repeat

Whisk your egg and brush the side of your dough with it. Sprinkle your raw sugar all over the border of your crostata. Sprinkle your topping all over the exposed fruits.