Peach Crostata

ratherbeswimmin''s Note:

In 'Frank Stitt's Southern Table'

• Total Time: 1 hrs 25 mins
• Prep Time: 1 hrs
• Cook Time: 25 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 6

Dough

• 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• ¼ cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 10 tablespoons unsalted butter , cut into 1/2-inch cubes and chilled (1 1/4 sticks)
• ¼ cup ice water

Filling

• ¼ cup unbleached all-purpose flour
• ¼ cup sugar
• 4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter
• 2 lbs ripe peaches , pitted, peeled, and sliced into 3/4-inch thick wedges
• 1 large egg yolk , beaten with 1 teaspoon heavy cream, for egg wash
• 1 tablespoon coarse sugar

Directions:

1. Make the dough: combine the flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor; pulse a few times to blend.
2. Add the butter and pulse until it is the size of small peas, about 15 times.
3. With the processor running, add the ice water and process for about 10 seconds; stop the processor before the dough comes together.
4. Turn the dough out onto a sheet of waxed paper; divide the dough in half, and shape it into two disks.
5. Wrap them in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 1 hour (the dough can be refrigerated 2 days or frozen for up to 2 weeks; if it has been frozen, defrost the dough for 30 minutes at room temperature).
6. Preheat oven to 450°.
7. Roll one disk of dough into an 11-inch circle on a lightly floured surface.
8. Transfer to a baking sheet (reserve the second disc for another use).
9. Prepare the filling: combine the flour and sugar in a small bowl; blend in the butter with two knives utnil the mixture resembles coarse meal.
10. Place the peaches in the center of the dough circle on the baking sheet and top with the butter-sugar mixture.
11. Begin draping the edges up and over, forming about 3 pleats.
12. Crimp the pleats and press down to seal; brush the pastry with the egg wash and sprinkle with the sugar.
13. Bake the tart for about 25 minutes or until golden brown; let cool on a rack and serve slices with vanilla ice cream or cream anglaise.
14. Variation: line the dough bottom of the crostata with a heaping tablespoon of pecan frangipane before adding the peaches; to make frangipane--combine 1/2 cup toasted pecans and 1/2 cup sugar in a food processor and process until the nuts are coarsely ground; add 8 tablespoons of unsalted butter, cut into small pieces, and 1 large egg; pulse until the mixture resembles a coarse paste.