Peach Blackberry Crostata

The markets are full of peaches, nectarines, and something new I noticed a peacharine. I wanted to play with my ice cream maker again and fresh peach ice cream sounded so delightful.  I recently purchased David Lebovitz’s book The Perfect Scoop and so far all of the recipes are terrific.  Make the peach ice cream to eat with this crostata and you will receive kudos from your guests and family.

Dough:

3 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoons salt

1 tablespoon sugar

1 cup  vegetable shortening or butter

1 egg

1 tablespoon white vinegar

7 tablespoons ice water

Extra flour for rolling out

 

Filling:

8 ripe yellow flesh peaches

1 pint blackberries

1 teaspoon lemon juice

3/4 cup granulated sugar

4 tablespoons corn starch

¼ teaspoon almond extract

1 teaspoon grated fresh nutmeg

For dough, combine flour, salt, and sugar in a medium bowl.  Place  shortening in flour mix.  Cut in shortening using a pastry cutter until shortening pieces suspended in flour are the size of peas.

Whisk egg, vinegar, and ice water until well blended.  Pour liquid into flour, stir  with a fork, and then press dough together with your hands.  Gather  dough into a ball and separate it into two discs. Wrap each disc in plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight or chill for at least two hours.

While  pastry dough is chilling prepare filling.   Fill a medium saucepan with water and bring to a boil. Using a slotted spoon drop two or three peaches into  saucepan at a time.  Remove peaches after 30 seconds and set aside.  Repeat with all peaches.  Blanching peaches like this makes them easy to peel and the beautiful red blush from the skin transfers to the meat of the peach.

Peel all peaches, and then, slice them into ½ inch slices. Place sliced peaches and washed blackberries in a large sauté pan with other filling ingredients.  Cook  peaches over low heat until they begin to thicken, stirring with a wood spoon occasionally, around 5 minutes.

Heat oven to 400° F.   Place a chilled disc of pastry dough it on a floured work surface, use a rolling pin to flatten disc.  A floured work surface  keeps dough from sticking.  Dust rolling pin with a little flour as well.  Roll  pin back and forth over  dough once or twice, then turn dough 90 degrees, and roll back and forth again.  Take care to avoid rolling over the edges as this makes the edges to thin.  Repeat until the dough is about a 14 inch circle about an eighth inch thick.

Fold the circle in half and then in quarters.  Transfer the folded dough to a parchment or silpat lined baking sheet with low sides.  Put the point of the fold in the center of the baking sheet and then unfold the dough.

Spoon peaches and blackberries into center of dough, leaving a 2-3 inch boarder uncovered.  Gently fold up  sides of crostata in a pleated fashion to enclose  filling but leaving crostata open in center.  Place in  oven to bake.  Bake for about 40 minutes or until crust is golden and filling is bubbling and thick looking. Repeat with second disc of pastry dough.

 

Peach Ice Cream
David Lebovitz, The Perfect Scoop, Ten Speed Press 2007

1 1/3 pounds (600 g) ripe peaches (about 4 large peaches)
1/2 cup water
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
A few drops of freshly squeezed lemon juice

Peel the peaches, slice them in half, and remove the pits.  Cut the peaches into chunks and cook them with the water in a medium, nonreactive saucepan over medium heat, covered, stirring once or twice, until soft and cooked through, about 10 minutes.

Remove from the heat, stir in the sugar, then cool to room temperature.

Puree the cooked peaches and any liquid in a blender or food processor with the sour cream, heavy cream, vanilla, and lemon juice until almost smooth but slightly chunky.

Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator, then freeze it in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Slice and serve with fresh peach ice cream.