I’ll admit it–I’m not a patient person. You’d think that after having 3 kids I might have improved that part of my personality, but alas, I have not. Because I’m not very patient, I really like recipes that aren’t too fussy. I do like things that are pretty though, which brings me to the crostata. It’s a pretty magical dessert because you don’t need to have any skill with making pies (I don’t) and you can still create an absolutely gorgeous-looking tart that works for everything from casual brunches to dinner parties.
There is a Fig and Nectarine Crostata that I’ll post later this spring, but this Rhubarb and Blackberry one needs to be shared right now because rhubarb is in season for such a short time. It’s super healthy, with just 26 calories per cup and as much potassium as a glass of milk. While rhubarb is quite tart, I’ve found that if you pair it up with naturally sweet fruit, like berries, you only need a little extra sugar to make it perfectly delicious.
For the dough:
- 1/2 cup whole-wheat flour
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 6 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter, cut into slices
- ¼ cup ice water
- 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
For the filling:
- 3 teaspoons corn starch
- 4-5 rhubarb stalks, cut into 1-inch pieces (about 3 cups)
- 1 cup blackberries
- juice and zest of 1 lemon
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup chopped walnuts
- 1 egg white
- 1 tablespoon demerara sugar or other course sugar
- Make the dough: In a food processor, combine the flours, baking powder, sugar, lemon zest and salt. Add the butter and pulse until the dough just comes together (you may not need all the water). Add the lemon juice and pulse again. With clean hands, gather the dough up, form it into a ball and transfer to a piece of plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 1 hour or overnight.
- Preheat the oven to 375°. Cover a rimmed baking sheet with a piece of parchment paper; set aside.
- Make the filling: In a small bowl, whisk the corn starch and water together; set aside. In a large saucepan, combine the rhubarb, blackberries, lemon juice and zest and sugar. Cook over medium for 5-6 minutes, until the juices start to release (juice will turn pink). Add the corn starch and cook for another 2 minutes. Chill for 20 minutes, until the mixture thickens.
- Remove the dough from the refrigerator and unwrap it, leaving the plastic wrap under the dough. Place another large piece of plastic wrap on top of the dough. Roll the dough out to a 10-inch circle; transfer dough to the prepared baking sheet. Add the cooled fruit mixture to the center of the dough, leaving a 3-inch border. Fold the dough over to form an edge. Sprinkle the walnuts over the fruit.
5. Using a pastry brush, coat the dough with the egg white. Sprinkle the demerara sugar over the dough and exposed fruit. Bake for 40 minutes, until the crust is golden and the fruit is bubbly (some juice may escape the crust). Wait patiently for 10 minutes (I’m not good at this!) for the crostata to cool and set. Slice into 6 wedges and serve.