Apple Crostata

Hyuna made us the perfect Valentine's dessert tonight. Drool and dream on, and then go and make one for your own sweethearts!



Pastry
1 cup flour
2 tablespoons granulated or superfine sugar
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 pound (1 stick) very cold unsalted butter, diced
2 tablespoons ice water

Place the flour, sugar and salt in bowl. Cut in butter with pastry blender until butter is the size of peas. Add ice water all at once (you may need to add an additional tablespoon, at most); stir with a fork and then with hands to make soft dough. Turn onto floured board and form into a disk. Wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Filling
1 1/2 pounds McIntosh, Macoun, or Empire apples, about 3 large (Hyuna used Granny Smith & Gala apples) 
1 teaspoon grated orange zest
1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup granulated or superfine sugar
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) cold unsalted butter, diced

Preheat oven to 450.

• Flour a rolling pin and roll the pastry into an 11-inch circle on a lightly floured surface. Transfer to a baking sheet. Cover with plastic wrap while preparing filling to keep from drying out.
• Peel, core and cut the apples into 8th's. Cut each wedge into 3 chunks. Toss the chunks with the orange zest. Cover the tart dough with the apple chunks leaving a 1 1/2-inch border.

• Combine the flour, sugar, salt, cinnamon, and allspice in bowl, stir with fork
• Add butter, blend with fork then knife until the mixture is crumbly. Rub with your fingers until it starts holding together.
• Sprinkle evenly on the apples. Gently fold the border over the apples to enclose the dough, pleating it to hold together.

• Bake the crostata for 20 to 25 minutes, until the crust is golden and the apples are tender. Allow to cool. Serve warm or at room temperature.                                                                                                        Heaven in your mouth!

Recipe from Food Network

Seth made us this beautiful vegetable platter all on his own!

Shrimp with orzo ~ now you're really jealous, right??!

Happy Valentine's Day to all!

February 28 - Post Script: I had to have this again, and made one for dessert when the Elders came this past week. It wasn't as good as Hyuna's, by a long shot! 

But it still looked pretty!