What does summer taste like to you? That’s really not a fair question because there are so many things to choose from this time of year. Maybe a juicy peach or vine ripe tomato? How about plump blueberries or crispy cucumbers? Cherries? YES!
C-H-E-R-R-I-E-S!
Tart, sweet, and in between — cherries are pretty near the top of my list.
Bright red, blushing pink, and deep, dark maroon — picking a favorite is nearly impossible but I personally lean towards tart cherries.
I’m not a hundred percent sure, but I don’t think I had enjoyed a fresh cherry before the 21st century. Sure I had eaten cherries before. Dried cherries. Maraschino cherries from a jar in an icky sweet brine. Cherries from a can in a gloppy neon-colored goo that are used in cherry pies. But not a real, living, fresh cherry.
Growing up in the south I had eaten my share of fresh peaches and other seasonal fruits but never cherries that I recall. Surely I’d remember that because cherries are now definitely one of my favorites and their short season is a tease.
There’s no shortage of pick-your-own farms here in western Pennsylvania and a stone’s throw from here is Ontelaunee Orchards.
The cherry trees were so fully covered in perfectly ripe fruit that it took no time at all to pick more than enough to bring home and eat fresh, freeze, preserve, and dehydrate, and bake. In a simple crust. In less than 30 minutes. Seriously. What are you waiting for?
- 1 Pillsbury refrigerated pie crust, softened as directed on box
- 2 cups fresh pitted cherries
- ¼ cup turbinado sugar, divided use
- juice and zest of lemon
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons butter, softened
- blHeat oven to 425 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and unroll pie crust in pan.
- In a medium bowl, mix together the cherries, 3 tablespoons sugar, lemon juice and zest, and cornstarch. Spoon into crust to with 2-inches of edge. Fold and crimp the edges. Dot cherries with 1 tablespoon butter. Brush the crust edge with remaining 1 tablespoon butter and sprinkle crust and fruit with remaining 1 tablespoon sugar.
- Bake 20-22 minutes or until golden brown. Cool in pan before slicing and serving.
You can substitute the turbinado sugar with granulated sugar.
You might also like this 30 Minute Blueberry Crostata — one in red and one in blue would be perfect for the Fourth of July!
The post 30 Minute Tart Cherry Crostata appeared first on Green Thumb | White Apron.
surnepiko.science says
September 12, 2015 at 6:30 amI remember going to a cherry orchard where they had a pitting machine from the 1800 s. I had 10lbs of cherries that were put into the machine that all came out pitted. Talk about something we need today. As for the crostata it sounds amazing.