Don't you love summer's berry season? I do, and I always buy the large containers of blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, and raspberries at Costco. I also can not get enough of fresh summer cherries. We eat the berries added to yogurt for breakfast, blended in smoothies, mixed in with breakfast cereal or oatmeal, or in a fruit salad, and usually, I have no trouble finishing them all before my next shopping trip.
One of my favorite food bloggers, Linda of the blog Ciao Chow Linda, made a wonderful "Very Berry Crostata" in May, and I saved it on my Pinterest Pies and Tarts Board to make it one day myself.
Linda's blog is full of delicious, authentic Italian-style recipes. I'm always getting recipe ideas and learning new techniques from her. We met once, years ago, when I lived in Brooklyn, New York, and I was given four tickets to see a new TV show at the time called "The Chew." My husband and my best friend, Rosemary, also came along to see the show. After a fun time as audience members, we went out for brunch and then took Linda on a little tour of Atlantic Ave in Brooklyn, where some of our favorite shops are located--if you'd like to see that fun post, click here.
Linda made her summer berries into a crostata, which is an open-faced, free-formed fruit tart with the crust folded into a rim. I had quite a few berries plus cherries I wanted to use up, so I decided to make my fruit tart in my large 12-inch tart pan. Most of my tart pans are 8 inches in width, but my 12-inch pan is fast becoming a favorite as it holds so much and is wonderful to use when I have company over or am making a sweet or savory tart for a holiday meal.
Berry Cherry Almond Tart right out of the oven!
Berry Cherry Almond Tart
Ingredients:
Crust:
This recipe makes two 8-inch or one 12-inch tart crust--if making an 8-inch tart, freeze half of the crust dough for another time
2½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
½ cup granulated sugar
Finely grated zest of 1 small lemon
1 teaspoon almond flavoring
1 teaspoon baking powder
⅛ teaspoon fine salt
½ cup cold unsalted butter, cut into dice
2 large eggs
Filling:
4 cups fruit -- I used a mix of blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, sliced strawberries, and pitted cherries cut in half
1/2 cup of sugar
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon peel
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon almond flavoring
2 tablespoons cornstarch
Toppings: (optional)
1/2 cup slivered almonds
If desired, a coating of apricot or apple jelly heated to make liquid can be brushed on top of the fruit after the pie is baked to make the fruit shine.
Instructions:
In a food processor, combine the flour, granulated sugar, lemon zest, almond flavoring, baking powder, and salt, and pulse to mix.
Add the butter and pulse until the mixture is crumbly.
Add the eggs and process just until the dough comes together.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. If you are using an 8-inch tart pan, divide the dough into two halves, pat it into two disks, wrap one half in plastic wrap, and freeze it for another use.
If using a 12-inch tart pan, pat the dough into a flat disc and refrigerate it for 1 hour.
After an hour, remove the dough from the refrigerator and roll it out to a diameter to fit your tart pan, or simply flatten and press the dough into your tart pan. I like to then re-chill the dough in the tart pan in the refrigerator while preparing the filling.
Mix all the ingredients for the filling. Mix gently, but well, and fill your tart pan with the fruit.
Carefully transfer the tart pan to a Silpat or parchment paper-lined cookie sheet to catch any baking overflow or seepage.
Sprinkle the slivered almonds around the rim of the tart.
Bake on the lowest oven rack at 375 degrees for 30 minutes, then remove it and place it on an upper rack for another 15 minutes, or until the crust of the tart is golden.
What a nice summertime treat!
We really enjoyed eating all our berries this way. I added a bit of whipped cream on top of my slice--so delicious. You could also serve with ice cream on the side. The crust has a delightful cookie taste to it, which made it extra special, and all the berries, cherries, and almonds were a sweet combination. I hope you will enjoy it this summer before berry season is over!
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