Fall Fruit Crostata

The fruits that the autumn season brings are my favorite to cook and bake with. 

Making a simple rustic crostata - which is an open faced pie, and filling it with different combinations of fruits is as simple as it gets and a delicious alternative to your traditional fruit pie.

This recipe has an added twist of adding cheese and white pepper which gives a wonderful contrast to the sweet fruits and adds the perfect amount of spiciness

You can make the dough ahead of time and leave it in the refrigerator. When your ready to bake, you can gather your fruits put it all together, and fill your house with a fabulous smell of autumn spice.

INGREDIENTS:

• Flour – 1 ½ cups plus 2 tablespoons, all-purpose, divided

• Butter – 1 stick, unsalted, very cold

• Comté Cheese – ½ cup, freshly grated ( Gruyere )

• White Pepper – ¾ teaspoon

• Sea Salt – ¾ teaspoon

• Sugar – ½ cup plus 1 tablespoon, granulated, divided

• Water – 8 tablespoons, very cold

• Bread Crumbs – 4 tablespoons, plain variety

• Lemon Juice – 2 tablespoons, freshly squeezed

• Nutmeg – ¼ teaspoon

• Cinnamon – ¼ teaspoon

• Honey – 2 tablespoons

• Granny Smith Apples – 2 large, peeled, cored, and sliced ½-inch thick

• Bosc Pears – 2 large, peeled, seeded, and sliced ½-inch thick

• Black Plums – 2 large, peeled, pitted, and sliced ½-inch thick

• Egg Wash – 1 extra-large egg lightly beaten mixed with a splash of water

Directions:

1. In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade, add 1 ½ cups of flour, butter, 1 tablespoon of sugar, white pepper, and sea salt. Pulse the food processor 10 times or until the butter is the size of small peas. Add the Comté cheese and pulse 2 more times.

2. Next, with the food processor running, slowly add the cold water down the feed tube. As soon as the dough forms a ball, turn off the food processor.

3. Turn the mixture out onto a lightly floured surface and quickly shape it into a disc. Cover the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

4. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

5. Meanwhile, in a large bowl combine the apples, pears, plums, lemon juice, ½ cup of sugar, 2 tablespoons of flour, honey, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Toss to evenly coat the fruit and set aside.

6. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and place onto a lightly floured surface.

7. Roll out the dough to form a circle that measures 15-inches by ½ -inch thick.

8. Transfer the dough to a parchment-covered sheet pan. Sprinkle evenly with breadcrumbs.

9. Spoon the fruit and the juices onto the pastry, leaving a 2-inch boarder from the edge.

10. Turn the edge of the pastry in over the fruit. Brush the dough with egg wash. Sprinkle the dough with course sanding sugar.

11. Bake for 60-80 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and brush the entire top with apricot glaze.

To make the glaze:

1. In a small saucepan set over medium heat add 1/3 cup of apricot jelly and 2 teaspoons of spiced rum. ( optional )

2. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3. Remove from the heat and set aside.