Rustic Crostata with Concord Grapes, Almonds and Rosemary [V.]

In this Rustic Crostata the extra virgin olive oil, the rosemary, the almond meal and almonds, the brown sugar and the grapes, spread an intense, delightful bouquet of aromas in your mouth and nose.

This Rustic Crostata was deliziosa! (delicious in italian). I'm writing this post when it's already gone, and it did not take long. The flavors were beyond good, the light, crumbly crust that resembled so much of a shortbread but was made with extra virgin olive oil and water, the juicy sweet filling of the concord grapes, the crunchy tosted almonds for the topping, the secret hidden flavor of the rosemary, everything blended and melded perfectly in your mouth. But did I spoil the post by revealing the end at the beginning?

Okay, let's take a step back.

I've always loved baking, more than cooking, since I was a kid. More often than not I would entertain my schoolfriends with my baked goods, prepare desserts for my family, bring my sweets to work, to friends's dinners and family gatherings, and fill my Facebook page with my baking creations. I frequently followed a foodblogger, italian by adoption, and the wonderful stuff that she made, both savory and sweet, would often become my lunches, suppers and desserts. All very much appreciated. I still follow her and it's also from her foodblog that I got the inspiration to start this bustling, exciting adventure. She is Sigrid, from Cavoletto di Bruxelles.

This crostata was inspired by one of her latest recipes, with a few modifications here and there. Instead of plums, I had beautiful Concord Grapes bought on our saturday visit to the Strathcona Farmers' Market, almond meal and slivered almonds in lieu of hazelnuts, rosemary still alive and kicking in our backyard and a great organic extra virgin olive oil that you can always find in our pantry.

As it happens in libraries and bookstores with books, it happens the same with recipes. They choose me and not viceversa. I don't know exactly how to explain it, but there's something that pulls me to them. The picture, at first, but then something in the list of ingredients and method of preparation is the defining factor. I don't make recipes that just look good. Sometimes I see some incredible looking food but I wonder if it tastes as good as it looks.

This crostata is rustic because it is not perfect, or perfectly shaped, the dough is so tender and delicate that when you fold it over you have to be very gentle or it will tear (and mine did). But the flavor...oh my... So simple, yet so extraordinary. Once again, a sweet that pleases your taste buds as well as your sense of smell. The extra virgin olive oil, the rosemary, the almond meal and almonds, the brown sugar and the grapes, all spread such an intense bouquet of aromas in your mouth and nose that will leave you wonder why you did not make it before.

You can try making it with other fruit, too. I bet it is fantastic anyway! I am going to make it again, that's for sure!

Soundtrack: Marvin Gaye "Heard It Through The Grapevine". What better 😉 ?

Adadpted from a recipe found on Cavoletto di Bruxelles.

Rustic Crostata with Concord Grapes, Almonds and Rosemary [V.]

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• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 40 minutes
• Total Time: 55 minutes

Ingredients

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Crostata

• 120 g all-purpose flour + 30 g amaranth flour (or all all-purpose flour)
• 2 Tbsp granulated sugar
• ½ tsp fine sea salt
• 60 ml extra virgin olive oil
• 60 ml cold water

Filling

• 1 cup concord grapes
• 1 little sprig rosemary (about 10 leaves), finely chopped
• 2 Tbsp granulated sugar
• 2 Tbsp brown sugar
• 2 Tbsp almond flour
• 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour

Topping

• 2 Tbsp coconut oil, at room temperature, for the topping
• 2 Tbsp slivered almonds, tosted
• dusting of icing sugar

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Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 360° F and line a round baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a mixing bowl put flours, sugar, salt and extra virgin olive oil. Start mixing, then add cold water a bit at a time. Work the dough fast until it forms a ball. Wrap the ball in plastic and refrigerate for half hour.
3. After that time, put the dough on the parchment paper and spread it with your hands (it is very light and workable) to form a disk 1 cm thick.
4. In a small mixing bowl combine 2 tablespoon granulated sugar, the almond flour, al-purpose flour, and the rosemary leaves finely chopped.
5. Spread the mixture on the base of the crostata, leaving a thick border empty.
6. Wash the concord grapes, drain them well and put them on the mixture. Sprinkle with the 2 tablespoon of brown sugar and butter (or coconut oil) flakes.
7. Fold the border on the filling so as to cover it a little bit.
8. Bake in the preheated oven for about 40-45 minutes.
9. Dust with icing sugar and sprinkle with the tosted slivered almonds.

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 5-6 portions

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Ricetta in italiano:

Crostata Rustica con Uva Fragola, Mandorle e Rosmarino

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• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 40 minutes
• Total Time: 55 minutes

Ingredients

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Per la crosta all’olio d’oliva

• farina 00 150g
• acqua freddissima 60ml
• olio d’oliva 60ml
• zucchero due cucchiai
• sale mezzo cucchiaino

Per il ripieno

• prugne o susine una decina (o uva fragola)
• rosmarino un rametto
• zucchero 4 cucchiai
• farina di nocciole o mandorle 2 cucchiai
• farina 00 2 cucchiai
• burro 20g (io ho usato olio di cocco)
• nocciole o mandorle tostate 2 cucchiai
• zucchero a velo

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Instructions

1. Preparare la pasta all’olio d’oliva: lavorare tutti gli ingredienti tranne l’acqua, poi aggiungere l’acqua poco a poco. Lavorare velocemente fino a formare una palla, avvolgere con della pellicola e tenere al fresco per mezz’ora.
2. Stendere la pasta. Mescolare 2 cucchiai di zucchero con la farina di mandorle o nocciole, la farina e una decina di foglioline di rosmarino finemente tritate. Cospargere la base di pasta con questo preparato, lasciando un bordo libero di 5cm.
3. Lavare e affettare le prugne (o l'uva fragola), sistemarle sulla crostata, cospargere con altre 2 cucchiai di zucchero e fiocchi di burro, poi piegare i lembi di pasta sopra il ripieno in modo da coprirlo in parte. Infornare 180°C per 40 minuti. Lasciar intiepidire prima di servire. Cospargere con le mandorle o nocciole tostate grossolanamente tritate prima di servire e spolverare di zucchero a velo.

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 6 persone

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Nicoletta

I love baking and kneading dough because it takes me to a happy place in my soul.