Peach and Blueberry Crostata

I’ve been feeling somewhat uninspired lately. Uninspired in the kitchen, uninspired to write, and even more uninspired to get up at 7 a.m. to exercise outside before it hits 100 degrees. I’m not sure if it is the endless heat wave in Dallas or my body telling me to slow down, but it sure feels like a “funk” and quite frankly, I am over it.

This summer has been brutally hot, and I have had a seriously hard time coming up with a no oven or stove required meal that I actually want to cook, let alone eat. Turning on the oven requires turning up the A/C which may seem like a great idea when the outside temp hits 110° and hovers there until sundown, but if you watch the local news (mistake numero uno), it is the absolute worst idea. In fact, I am so scared of the “potential rolling blackout” that they threaten me with every afternoon that I have faithfully followed their directions—turning the A/C to 78°F from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. and sweating it out with Henry the dog. It is no wonder that I am feeling so uninspired!

But after reading the heartbreaking post by fellow food blogger Jennifer Perillo who suddenly lost her husband to a heart attack last week, I knew it was time to stop feeling sorry for myself and get my butt back in the kitchen. Turn on the oven to a piping hot 450°F between the hours of 4 and 8 p.m. (shh…please don’t tell) and bake a dessert for Andrew the H to let him know that I think he is the bomb. The best hubby on the planet. The love of my life. And that I feel like the luckiest gal around.

It is a proven fact that baking is the best way to show love (please don’t ask me to source this so-called fact). So obviously I was going to bake because I am a rule follower, and it had to be dessert. A peach-blueberry crostata, in fact. Because Andrew the H really, really loves a peach dessert. And because I felt guilty each week as I walked by the dwindling peach display at Central Market knowing that we had not touched one delicious Texas peach all summer. Andrew the H has been so busy at his new job that he probably didn’t even notice that not a single peach has been consumed by either one of us!

So a peach blueberry crostata was the decided token of love. What is a crostata, you ask? Why it is basically a free-form pie. Using a pie dough for the base, fruit is piled high in the middle, the dough is folded over the edge, and a highly recommended but optional topping covers the top of the fruit. The whole thing is baked into a beautiful mess of crust, sweet peaches, and popped blueberries. And because we are showing love and appreciation here, I made not one, but two crostatas, bubbling with sweet summer fruit. And if that wasn’t delicious enough, each slice was topped with a generous scoop of Blue Bell vanilla bean ice cream because ice cream makes everything better. And we may or may not have taken one crostata to a friend’s house to indulge in terrible, terrible Dallas reality TV. At least the dessert was enjoyable, right?

My favorite part of this dessert is its versatility. Can’t find peaches? Nectarines, plums, raspberries, blackberries – you name it, you can use it. Scared of pie dough? A purchased dough is certainly acceptable here. But a few tips for obtaining perfect pie crust may help encourage you to try to make your own. Once you have done it one time, it is so simple!

Perfect Pie Dough Tips:

1. Make sure your butter is frozen! I dice cold butter and freeze the cubes for at least 30 minutes.

2. Some people recommend freezing every ingredient. I do not have a huge freezer so I am not afforded this luxury, but if you have the space, you can certainly place your dry ingredients in the bowl of your food processor and pop it in the freezer for 30 minutes to an hour.

3. Use the pulse function on your food processor. The butter should be pulsed to the size of peas (like a green pea) and it is better for it to be a bit bigger than teeny tiny. This makes your dough flaky.

4. Have cellophane pieces ready to dump half of your dough onto each sheet. Press gently into a ball and flatten into a disk. Wrap very tightly with plastic wrap and chill for AT LEAST one hour. The longer you can chill your dough, the easier it will be to work with.

5. When ready to roll out your dough, bang your rolling pin in the center of the dough (make sure both sides are lightly floured) and start rolling. Turn your dough and flip it often so it doesn’t stick to your board or counter. The circle doesn’t have to be perfect. In fact, imperfections are what make this dessert look super rustic.

Peach and Blueberry Crostata
Adapted from Ina Garten’s Summer Fruit Crostata

{Makes 2 crostatas}

For the pastry:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, diced, frozen
7 tablespoons ice water

For the filling:
2 pounds firm ripe peaches, peeled
1 pint fresh blueberries
1 tablespoon plus 1/4 cup all-purpose flour, divided
1 heaping tablespoon light brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon grated orange zest
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, diced
One egg plus one tablespoon water for egg wash

For the pastry:

Place the flours, sugar, and salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Pulse a few times to combine. Add the butter and toss quickly (and carefully!) with your fingers to coat each cube of butter with the flour.

Pulse 12 to 15 times, or until the butter is the size of peas. With the motor running, add the ice water all at once through the feed tube. Keep hitting the pulse button to combine, but stop the machine just before the dough comes together. Turn the dough out onto a well-floured board, roll it into a ball, cut in half, and form into 2 flat disks. Wrap the disks tightly in plastic and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. If you only need 1 disk of dough, you can freeze the other disk for another time.

While dough is chilling, prepare the filling.

For the filling:

Peel the peaches and cut into wedges about 1/2 inch thick. Need an easy shortcut to peel those peaches? Click here.

Place the peach wedges in a bowl with the blueberries. Toss them with 1 tablespoon of the flour, 1 tablespoon of the brown sugar, the orange zest, orange juice, and cinnamon.

Preheat the oven to 450°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Roll the dough into an 11-inch circle on a lightly floured surface. Transfer it to the baking sheet.Place the mixed fruit on the dough circle, leaving a 1 1/2-inch border.

Combine the 1/4 cup flour, the 1/4 cup sugar, and the salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture is crumbly. Pour into a bowl and rub it with your fingers until it starts to hold together. Sprinkle evenly over the fruit. Gently fold the border of the pastry over the fruit, pleating it to make an edge.

Combine one egg with one tablespoon of water and whisk to blend. Brush the crust with the egg wash and sprinkle with sugar (I use vanilla turbinado sugar but you could use regular granulated or sugar in the raw OR you could skip this altogether!)

Bake the crostata for 20 to 25 minutes, until the crust is golden and the fruit is tender. Let the crostata cool for 5 minutes, then use 2 large spatulas to transfer it to a wire rack.

Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or at room temperature and share it with someone you love!