By Carol McIlwain

Sometimes, living in California, it’s hard to really appreciate the change of seasons.  Our weather is mild, and we usually don’t experience the dramatic changes that other areas in the country enjoy.  We also don’t have snow, bugs, hurricanes or lots of leaves to rake, but that is another story for another day!  So, in order to mark the changes in the calendar, here is a recipe to trick your senses.  Nothing evokes the splendor of fall like the sweet aroma of apples and cinnamon.   So close your eyes … breathe deeply and dream of Connecticut or Pennsylvania or Delaware, and enjoy!

Apple Crostata

Pastry:

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 TBS. granulated sugar
  • 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
  • 1/4 pound (1 stick) cold, unsalted butter, diced
  • 2 TBS water

Filling:

  • 1 ½ lbs. apples
  • 1/4 tsp. grated orange zest
  • 1/4 cup flour
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
  • 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
  • 1/8 tsp. ground allspice
  • 4 TBS. (1/2 stick) cold, unsalted butter, diced

Directions:

For the pastry, place the flour, sugar, and salt in bowl of food processor fitted with a steel blade and pulse a few times to combine. Add the butter and pulse 12-15 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 becomes a solid mass. Turn the dough one a well-floured board and form into a disc. Wrap with plastic and refrigerate for at least an hour.

Preheat the oven to 450° F.

Flour a rolling pin and roll the pastry into an 11-inch circle on a lightly floured surface. Transfer it to a baking sheet.

For the filling, peel, core and cut the apples into 8ths. Cut each wedge into thirds. Toss the chunks with the orange zest. Cover the tart dough with the apple chunks leaving a 1 ½ inch border.

Combine the flour, sugar, salt, cinnamon and allspice 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 holding together. Sprinkle evenly on the apples. Gently fold the border over the apples to enclose the dough, pleating to make a circle.

Bake the crostata for 20-25 minutes, until the crust is golden and apples are tender. Allow to cool. Serve warm or at room temperature. Add a scoop of rich, vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of caramel sauce for extra yumminess!

Copyright © 2012, Foundation Restoration.  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. No reproduction allowed without written permission from Foundation Restoration and/or the author.