Rustic Summer Fruit Crostata is the perfect dessert to cap off the end of a wonderful dinner. If you need a quick dessert the crostata is what you’re looking for. Your family and friends will think you fussed all day with this dessert.
A crostata is an Italian baked tart or pie and is usually made with a fruit and cream
This dessert is delicious and very easy to make. It can be made with a variety of fruit and any size that the cook desires. It can serve as the primary dessert for a big family meal or just a bite-size snack when your body craves something sweet. In addition its low on calories when compared to some other desserts.
This was my second attempt at making this delicious dish. I was distracted the first time I attempted to make the crostata and burned it. Even the best cooks have a bad day.
Steps To Make Rustic Summer Fruit Crostata
- I used pears, cherries, peaches, and plums that I had left in the fruit bin from the refrigerator. It’s hard to let go of summer however, the rustic summer fruit crostata was a perfect way to clean out the fruit bin with such a lovely dessert.
- Cherry slurry made from sugar, cornstarch, water, and cherries to add flavor to the crostata.
- Cinnamon, vanilla, and sugar were added to the fruit mixture.
- The cherry slurry was then added to the fruit mixture then the two were stirred together.
Rustic But Simple
I am not into making pie crust from scratch. Years ago I never would have thought to use a store-bought pie crust. however, today I’m into simplicity a store bought pie crust works perfectly fine for me.
If you prefer homemade pie crust, by all means, make a single layer pie crust from scratch. I can only imagine how flaky the crust will turn out. Clearly, it’s worth all the fuss, I know the crust will be fabulous!
Before baking the crostata, brush the crust with egg yolk and lightly sprinkle the dessert with sugar. I used turbinado sugar which is a coarser sugar. Turbinado sugar has crunchier granules and it has a higher molasses content. I think it gives the crostata that wow factor! I found the sugar at a local store that specializes in organic foods. I’m sure you can find it online as well.
I used cherries, plums, peaches, and pears for my crostata. This combination of fruits resulted in an explosion of great taste when I took my first bite.
The rustic summer fruit crostata is a quick and simple dish to make when you want to end a meal with a great tasting dessert.
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- 1 store-bought pie crust
- ⅓ cup pitted fresh cherries
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 2 Bartlett pears
- 3 plums
- 1 peach
- ¼ cup water
- 3 tablespoon turbinado sugar (or granulated sugar)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 egg yolk, lightly beaten
- 2 tablespoons turbinado sugar (to garnish the rustic summer fruit crostata)
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
- In a measuring cup combine cherries, cornstarch, water, and 1 tablespoon sugar. Stir the mixture together and microwave for about 1 and a half minutes. Stop the cooking process to stir the mixture occasionally to keep it from becoming lumpy. You may need to add a small amount of water if the mixture becomes thick and lumpy. Stir the slurry until smooth then set aside.
- On a lightly floured surface with a floured rolling pin, roll pastry to a 13 -inch circle. Roll up pastry onto pin; unroll onto a large ungreased baking sheet.
- Wash peel, and core pears, plums, and peach; Cut the fruit into thin slices and into halves if needed. Place the fruit into a large bowl sprinkle with the last two tablespoons of sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla. Add the cherry slurry to the fruit and mix all the ingredients together.
- Mound the fruit filling into the center of the pastry dough. Leave a 2½-inch border. Fold border up and partway over the filling.
- Brush the edges of the crostata with the egg yolk.
Sprinkle thecrostata with the remaining turbinado sugar.- Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes or until pears are tender.
- Allow the rustic summer fruit crostata to cool before cutting. Option serve with vanilla ice cream.