Berry Crostata

In the side yard the boysenberries have turned from blossoms to berries. We'll have a real crop in about a week. So I have a new summer favorite thanks to a recipe link from Jenny and it couldn't be more fresh and luscious.

BERRY CROSTATA

PASTRY (makes two crusts)

2 cups flour

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 pound cold butter, diced

6 tablespoons ice water

Combine the flour, sugar and salt. Cut in the butter in with a food processor or a pastry blender. Divide the dough into two balls. Wrap them in plastic wrap and put them in the fridge for at least 1 hour. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees when the dough is chilled and roll out each of the 2 balls of dough on a floured surface to make two 11" circles. Transfer to the dough to two baking sheets coated with cooking spray to top with fruit mixture.

BERRIES (for two crusts):

12 oz. boysenberries

12 oz. raspberries

12 oz. blueberries

2 tab. flour

2 tab. sugar

Mix the berries, flour and sugar and mound onto the 2 prepared crusts. Fold up the edges of the crust about an inch all the way around. (mix up the berries and the topping while the dough is chilling and you'll be ready to go!)

TOPPING (for 2 crostatas)

1/4 cup flour

1/4 cup sugar plus a bit more

dash salt

4 tab (1/2 stick) cold butter

Mix the flour, sugar and salt. Cut in the butter with the food processor or a pastry blender. Sprinkle it evenly over the fruit. Then sprinkle the edges of the crust that are turned up with a couple spoonfuls of sugar.

Slide those crostadas into the hot oven and bake til they are a lovely brown, about 25 minutes.

Extra good served warm with ice cream or my favorite, mounds of vanilla whipped cream. This recipe makes the two crostadas. They aren't too big and so yummy you'll want a second one (for breakfast the next morning?). But if you by chance should want to just make one, put the second ball of wrapped dough into the freezer for another day and half the fruit and topping recipes.

I'm waiting to try this with peaches, topped with toasted almonds in August. That could be a winner too!