Rainier Cherry & Plum Crostata

Rainier Cherry & Plum Crostata

Ingredients:
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt (scant)
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
3 tablespoons ice water
1/2 lb. dark plums (weighed before pitting and slicing), pitted, thinly sliced
1/2 lb. rainier cherries, pitted, halved
2 teaspoons honey
Cornmeal, for rolling

Directions:
To make the pastry dough, in a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, brown sugar and salt. Work the butter in, using a pastry blender or your fingertips, until the mixture resembles pea-sized lumps. Sprinkle in the water, 1 tablespoon at a time, stirring gently with a fork after each addition and adding only enough of the water to form a rough mass.

Using floured hands, pat dough into a smooth, flattened disk. Wrap in plastic wrap, and chill for 25 minutes, in the refrigerator.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Coat a large sheet pan with cooking spray.

Stir together plums, cherries and honey, in a medium sized mixing bowl, until well combined.

Coat a work surface generously with cornmeal. Remove dough from refrigerator and divide into 6 equal pieces. Place dough pieces on work surface and flatten into rounds, about 1/8-inch thick. Divide fruit equally and place in center of each dough round; fold edges over fruit, and transfer to sheet pan.

Bake at 400 degrees F, for 25-30 minutes, or until golden brown. Transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

Yield: 6 crostatas