"Mass Production" of Apricot Crostatas
My Ultimate Apricot Crostata continues to be a favorite with family and friends. In the beginning, it could only be savored during the short 1-2 month period when fresh apricots were available. Then, we would be forced to endure long months, longingly waiting for its reappearance. Joyous was the day, when I discovered the crostata freezes extremely well!
Even though I've been freezing apricot crostatas for years, I'm only now getting around to posting the "mass production" recipe. In this "mass production" version, I make four at a time because that's the most I can fit into my freezer during the initial freezing stage before wrapping and storing in zip-top freezer bags. Once I've stacked the frozen, wrapped crostatas, I can make another batch of four and so on. I usually make a dozen which carries us through the year and allows for gifting a few as well.
"Mass Production" of Apricot Crostatas
Makes 4 - 9" crostatas
Prepare Flour/Almond Mixture:
In a medium size mixing bowl, combine:
1/4 cup all-purpose flour (32g)
1/4 cup almond meal (20g)
1/4 cup granulated sugar (50g)
1/4 cup crushed amaretti cookies (32g)
Set aside.
Prepare Crust:
In a large bowl, sift together:
6 cups all-purpose flour (768 g)
1 tablespoon plus 1 tsp (4 tsp) sugar
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
Pour into a 3-cup or larger measuring cup, but do not mix together (the milk will settle to the bottom):
1 1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 cup milk
Make a well in the flour mixture and pour in the oil/milk mixture. Mix together with a fork until evenly moistened. In the bowl, gather up dough into a ball, pressing together to incorporate all the bits. Divide into 4 balls; they should each weigh approx. 330 grams.
On a 15" x 15" square sheet of parchment paper, Place ball of dough in center and flatten out into a 6" diameter disk. Smooth the perimeter if it cracks. Place plastic wrap over the disk and using a rolling pin, roll dough out into a rough 13" diameter circle. You may need to reposition plastic wrap as the circle gets bigger.
Place 4 tablespoons (1/4 cup) of the flour/almond meal mixture in center of rolled out dough. Spread evenly leaving a 2" border around the perimeter.
For each crostata, halve and pit:
8-10 apricots, washed and dried (so for 4 crostatas, you will need about 36-40 apricots)
Place pitted apricot halves cut-side up on top of flour/almond meal, starting with an apricot half in the center and forming concentric circles out to where the flour/almond mixture ends.
scant 1/4 cup sugar
Dribble on top of sugar and apricots:
2-3 teaspoons of lemon juice
Lift up one corner of the parchment paper and gently fold pastry over apricots, peeling away the parchment paper. Continue lifting and folding pastry over the apricots, overlapping dough as you go around the crostata.
Sprinkle top of pastry, as well as the exposed apricots with:
1 tablespoon sanding sugar
Brush off any sanding sugar that falls onto parchment paper as it will burn during baking.
Slide parchment paper with crostata onto a cookie sheet. Cover crostata with a sheet of wax paper and place in freezer for 2-3 hours or until firm enough that dough doesn't flex or bend.
Place on work surface, shiny side up:
24" long sheet of freezer paper
Remove crostata from freezer. Gently slide crostata on parchment paper onto freezer paper. Remove top sheet of wax paper. Fold corners of parchment paper so as to cover crostata. Bring ends of freezer paper together and fold accordion-style pleated. Fold ends into a v-shape and tuck under. Tape ends. Label with content and year.
Place wrapped frozen crostata inside a heavy duty zip-top freezer bag. Zip bag leaving a small opening at one end. Stick a straw in and suck out as much air as possible. Quickly remove straw and zip bag shut. Lay flat in freezer. Stores for one year in freezer.
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