Rustic plum & strawberry crostata
SERVES 4- 6
A rustic Italian tart, or crostata, is the perfect vehicle for plums. Their combination with warm, juicy strawberries is just divine! GLUTEN-FREE PASTRY
1¼ cups gluten-free flour,
plus more for dusting
¼ cup sugar, plus more
for sprinkling
100g butter, chilled
3 tbsp sour cream
¼ tsp salt
¼ cup iced water
FILLING
¼ cup brown sugar
50g butter ½ cup ground almonds
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 cups plums and
strawberries, chopped
¼ cup flaked almonds Whipped cream, yoghurt or
ice cream, to serve
1 Place the flour and sugar in a food processor, then add the chilled butter. Process until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add the sour cream and salt, then pulse, adding enough of the water to allow the mixture to form a ball. Pat the dough into a disk, wrap and chill for 30 minutes or until required.
2 Make the filling by whisking together the brown sugar and butter until fluffy, then stir in the ground almonds and half of the egg mix (the remaining will be used for an egg wash). It should be a smooth, thick paste.
3 Preheat oven to 180oC.
4 Dust a sheet of baking paper with flour and roll the dough out to a 26cm circle, about 3-5mm thick. Spread the paste over the pastry, leaving a 3cm border free from filling. Add the fruit into the centre of the circle, on top of the paste. Brush the pastry border with egg wash, then fold it in, pleating, to half cover the fruit. Coat the rest of the exposed pastry with egg wash and sprinkle with extra sugar. Slide a thin oven tray under the baking paper and tart, then transfer to the oven. Bake for 40-50 minutes until the crust is golden, the fruit is tender and the pastry bottom is browned. Sprinkle over the almond flakes in the final 5 minutes of baking.
5 Cool before cutting into slices and serve with whipped cream, yoghurt or ice cream.