Apple-Cranberry Crostada

While a good pie crust ought to be a part of every cook's repertoire, sometimes there just isn't the time. But why leave the baking to the grocery stores or bakery when puff pastry is a simple, high-quality stand-in for the original? In this Crostada, the sheet dough is baked free-form with ingredients piled on top. Couldn't be easier!


Recipes · Desserts · Fruit Desserts · Apple Dessert Recipes


Servings: 8
Yield: 6 to 8 - servings

Ingredients

Ingredients List

  • 3 tablespoons butter

  • 2 pounds Granny Smith apples (or other firm, crisp apples), peeled, quartered, cored and sliced 1/4-inch thick

  • 1 pound Macintosh apples (or other soft-textured apples that fall apart when cooked), peeled, quartered, cored, and sliced 1/4-inch thick

  • ½ cup sugar

  • ½ cup dried cranberries

  • 1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed but still cold (follow package directions)

  • 1 egg white, lightly beaten

  • 1 tablespoon sugar

  • 1 cup Optional: Ice cream or lightly sweetened whipped cream


Directions

  1. Heat butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add apples, 1/2 cup sugar and cranberries; cover and cook until apples release their liquid, about 5 minutes. Remove lid and continue to cook, stirring frequently, until soft apples fall apart and juices thicken to a thin-syrup consistency, about 5 minutes longer. Pour onto a large-lipped cookie sheet or jellyroll pan and cool to room temperature. (Can be refrigerated in an airtight container up to 5 days.)

  2. Adjust oven rack to low position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Open puff pastry sheet on a lightly floured work surface. Roll into a rectangle, about 10 by 16 inches. Transfer to a large cookie sheet. (I suggest lining the sheet with parchment paper; this ensures the crostada doesn't stick and allows easy cleanup.)

  3. Spread cooked apples over pastry, leaving a 2-inch border. Fold up pastry borders over apples. Unfold corners and form ruffled creases to keep dough from overlapping. Brush pastry border with egg white and sprinkle with the remaining 1 Tb. sugar. Bake until pastry is golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature with optional ice cream or whipped cream.

Tips

Copyright 2004 USA WEEKEND and columnist Pam Anderson. All rights reserved.


Nutrition Facts (per serving)

Nutrition Facts
396 Calories
18g Fat
60g Carbs
4g Protein


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