A crostata is an Italian baked pie or tart. Recipes go back to the 1400’s. It’s a rustic pie that has many variations. Usually it’s filled with some type of fruit. And fall in the northeast means it’s apple season. So what better way to use the huge varieties of apples we have this time of year. I’m a firm believer of using fruits that are in season. Sure apples are available all year long, but non have the freshness and quality that you get in the fall.

It’s not fall unless my house smells of cinnamon and apples. And usually when I visit the local farms I go to the cider mills because nothing says fall better than fresh pressed apple cider. Two of the mills I go to up here press the cider and just bottle it when you buy the gallon. They don’t use any preservative and don’t pasteurize it, so when I buy a gallon I fill up a half gallon pitcher with it and freeze the rest until I’m ready to use it. That way I’m sure it’s safe and fresh. I call it nectar of the Gods. And the only time I drink it is between September and November. Again, you can get “apple cider” all year long in the supermarket but I stay away from it because it’s filled with preservatives, and you can taste it. Buy in season!

This is a very simple crostata and easy to make. I have no trouble working with homemade pie crust. I think you are cheating yourself if you buy the ready made crust. Give this a shot, there is plenty of room for mistakes and no one will know but you. I promise, you will get better with a little practice. It’s worth it.

For the Crust:

• 1 cup of all purpose flour
• 3/4 stick of cold salted butter
• dash of salt
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1/4 cup ice cold water

For the filling:

• 2 Jonagold apples or similar baking apple
• 1/4 cup dark brown sugar
• 1/8 cup white sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnimon
• 2 tablespoons of all purpose flour
• 3 pats of butter

In a medium bowl add together the flour, salt and sugar. Mix to combine. Cut the butter into small cubes and add to the flour. I combine the butter and flour with my hands, squeezing them together and mixing until most of the butter is incorporated into the flour, and you have most of the butter the size of peas. Add the cold water and continue mixing with your hands until the dough comes together. Don’t overmix, you want to keep the butter pieces whole. Once it comes together lift the dough out of the bowl and form and press between your hands to form a ball. Place the ball back in the bowl and put in the refrigerator until your ready to use it.

Skin and core the apples and slice them fairly thin into a medium size bowl. Add the brown sugar, white sugar, cinnamon and flour. Mix with a spoon until all the apples are coated with the sugar flour mixture.

Place some parchment paper, at least 12″x12″, on your table top and liberally sprinkle with flour. Place the chilled dough ball on the floured parchment paper, and sprinkle some additional flour on top of the ball and on your rolling pin. Start to roll out your dough, lifting and turning a quarter of a turn each time you roll it out, until you have a 12″-15″ circle. As you lift and turn the dough make sure you pick up some flour underneath from around the parchment paper. Place the apple mixture in the center of the pie leaving some space around the edges. Place the pats of butter around the apples. With the help of the parchment paper, lift the edges of the dough to cover the apples, working your way around the pie. Gently press the dough around the apples. The dough should come up at least 1/4 of the way around the apples. As long as it forms a wall around the apples so the juice doesn’t spill out. This does not have to be perfect, it is supposed to have a rustic look.

Lift the crostata with the parchment paper onto a baking sheet. Bake in a preheated 400 degree oven for 45 minutes or until the crust is a golden brown and the apples caramelized.

Pass the vanilla ice cream!