Crostata di Cranberries-Cranberry Crostata

I really do! It’s true. All I’ve been wanting is crisp and organic greens and clear broths (filled with light noodles, of course). But until I get to those lighter posts, there are still a few recipes that need to be shared from these festive weeks.

My 5 year old took this photo of me. He was intent on taking some photos for me. He took several of me holding the crostata. Most were of the crostata and my feet. I kneeled down to help him out. Then he wouldn’t give me back the camera.

Here I am pleading in the background for him to give me back the camera. The shots turned out better than I thought

Here I am pleading in the background for him to give me back the camera. The shots turned out better than I thought

Crostata di Cranberries-Cranberry Crostata
serves approx 6-8

Pasta Frolla recipe

300 grams (10.54 ounces)pastry flour
200 grams (7.025 ounces) unsalted butter
100 grams (3.512 ounces) sugar
1 whole egg and 1 yolk ( 60 grams eggs)

Filling:
 
2 1/2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
zest of one orange
1/2 cup sweet orange marmalade
3/4 cup sugar

dough directions:

In the bowl of a food processor, add the flour and sugar and process a few times to mix together. Next add the butter and pulse a few times until the mixture looks like wet sand. Add the egg and yolk and process a few seconds more until the dough forms (this should be about 5-7 more pulses). Be sure to not overprocess the dough.

Dump the dough from the food processor bowl onto a lightly floured counter. Form the dough into a disk and chill in the refrigerator for about an hour.

filling directions:

Bring all the filling ingredients to a boil in a heavy medium pot. Heat to boiling over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Continue boiling about 5 minutes longer, stirring occasionally, until cranberries begin to pop. Simmer for about 20 minutes. Don’t worry if every single cranberry does not completely pop. Set the sauce aside to cool.

baking the crostata:
(For some nice step-by-step photos on how to roll out the dough, check out this ricotta crostata I made last year.) 

Preheat oven to 375°F with a foil-lined large baking sheet on middle rack.

When dough is nicely chilled, remove from the refrigerator. Roll out the dough between 2 sheets of plastic wrap into a 13-inch round about 1/8 thick.

Spray an 11-inch fluted tart pan with removable bottom with baking spray. Gently wrap the dough over the rolling pin and place it over the tart pan; release the rolling pin and let the dough fall into the tart pan. Press the dough softly into the bottom of the tart pan. If some of the dough breaks while you press it into the tart pan, that’s not a problem. Simply piece the dough together. Press the sides of the dough about 1/2 inch up the side of the tart pan. The rim of the tart should be lined with a slightly thicker layer of pastry than the bottom  (about 1/4-inch thick). Cut off the extra dough from the sides and keep these excess pieces to make the lattice topping. Place this tart pan in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes (or even longer if necessary) to chill.

When the dough is chilled and ready to fill, remove the tart pan from the refrigerator and prick the pastry bottom with a fork a few times.

Spread filling in chilled shell and arrange 5 strips 1 inch apart on filling.

Arrange remaining 5 strips 1 inch apart diagonally across first strips to form a lattice with diamond-shaped spaces. Trim edges of all strips flush with edge of shell.

Arrange remaining 5 strips 1 inch apart diagonally across first strips to form a lattice with diamond-shaped spaces. Trim edges of all strips flush with edge of shell.

Carefully place the crostata on top of the baking sheet.

Carefully place the crostata on top of the baking sheet.

Bake for about 40-50 minutes at 375 F, or until the crust is golden brown. Let cool completely before removing from tart pan. Best eaten the first day but makes a lovely breakfast the next day.

Be sure to stop by Sandra’s blog and check out my guest post. You will have fun browsing through her blog full of delicious recipes.

So tell me about your New Year’s plans? What about resolutions and goals? What do you wish for in the new year?