This recipe for fruit crostata with crumb topping was an superior technique to construct a deep-dish fashion crumb-topped pie with none rolling pins or pastry fuss. Now go forward and roll your eyes: I’m a kind of individuals who thinks all meals appears to be like higher in a cast-iron skillet. That is most likely not the one purpose I’m not working as a social media influencer, which seems like the good best job: get free stuff whereas residing a life equal elements organized, glamorous, and easy, and all you’ve gotta do is submit a fast day by day snap! Nicely, dream job or not, at the very least certainly one of us must attempt making a skillet fruit crostata for all of us who don’t have any springform pan – and I’m right here to report – IT WORKED GREAT. Whether or not you’re an influencer or not, if you happen to don’t have a zillion pots/pans/bakeware choices, you most likely have a ten″ cast-iron skillet, and that thick black matte edge is the proper body for a country dessert, am I proper?
The crust and topping, made simply as described, labored completely; I discovered it favored to be squeezed a bit bit in your fingers whereas urgent it into the underside and sides. For the filling, 5 mixed-variety apples had been peeled and sliced about 1/4″ thick, which piled above the highest when uncooked, settling properly throughout the bake. I skipped the nuts and substituted 3 tablespoons of flour for the three tablespoons cornstarch, each out of pantry necessity and at Pleasure of Cooking’s suggestion for thickening apple pies; as soon as totally cool, the pie reduce into neat slices, with out runny goo or dry fruit. With out the detachable springform sides, I used to be nervous a few sloppy presentation however discovered the parchment circle I positioned on the underside pointless, and subsequent time I’ll bravely depend on the pastry crust to crisp and launch on the underside in addition to it did on the perimeters.
Possibly because of the thicker pan, I baked longer than directed for bubbly filling and crunchy, browned crumbs, about an hour. One in every of my favourite issues about this recipe was how balanced the sweetness was; neither the crust nor filling was too sugary or bland. Undoubtedly price repeating, I can’t wait to current this dessert with apples, cranberries, or pears on a vacation desk, or with peaches, blueberries, or strawberry-rhubarb at a summer time cookout. Regardless of the filling, or how cliche the presentation, you may depend on it: I’m bringing this in cast-iron.
