Apple Crostada
Pastry Dough Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups flour, all-purpose
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons + pinch salt, table
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 3/4 sticks butter, unsalted, very cold unsalted, diced
1/2 cups + 2 tablespoons water, ice cold
Egg wash: 1 egg yolk beaten with 1 tablespoon heavy cream, for egg wash
Combine the flour, sugar, salt and baking powder in a food processor and pulse to blend. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture forms coarse crumbs. Drizzle in the ice water and pulse until the mixture forms a rough a dough ball, adding a little extra ice water if necessary. Remove and form the dough into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap and chill in refrigerator for 1 hour.
Filling ingredients
8 Granny Smith apples peeled, cored and sliced
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons rolled oats
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Combine the apples, flour, brown and white sugars, cinnamon, oats and softened butter in a bowl and toss well. Place the apple mixture in the center of the Pastry Dough disks, leaving a 3-inch flap of dough around the edge. Fold the extra dough over the apple mixture, forming a rustic, uneven rim around the crostata. (The apples will not be completely covered with the dough.) Paint the dough edges with the Egg Wash. Bake for 20-30 minutes, until the crust is golden brown and the apples are tender. Serve warm with vanilla gelato.
Roasted Butternut Squash Bruschetta
Ingredients:
1 butternut squash, cut in half with seeds removed
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4 ounces pancetta, diced
1 loaf ciabatta bread, sliced thick
3/4 cup ricotta cheese
5 ounces dried cranberries
12 fresh sage leaves, chopped
1/4 cup local honey
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Place butternut squash halves on a large baking sheet flesh side up. Add olive oil, season with salt and black pepper. Roast 35-40 minutes, until flesh is fork-tender.
Once squash has cooled, scoop out with a spoon and dice into 1/2-inch sized pieces.
Render the diced pancetta on low heat until crispy. Slice ciabatta bread into 12 half-inch thick pieces, arrange on a large baking sheet and drizzle with remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Bake for 6-8 minutes.
To serve, top ciabatta with butternut squash, ricotta, pancetta, cranberries, honey and sage.
