heart berries

The strawberry is probably today's most beloved fruit — and no wonder! Its Latin name frugaria means "fragrance." They are certainly extremely fragrant and delicious to the point of addiction. "Doubtless God could have made a better berry, but doubtless God never did." said Dr. William Butler, a 17th-century English writer.

My favorite name for this gorgeous fruit is the Native American one: "heart berries." Now that is an appropriate name for this absolutely heavenly fruit! The best part of course is that our local strawberry season is finally underway. To make up for a whole year of abstinence (I find buying strawberries out of season a most disappointing experience), I eat strawberries as often as I possibly can. For breakfast I simply have them on their own or in a silky smoothie. For dinner I like to create sumptuous dessert with it.*

This month's recipe, inspired by the Tuscan freehand shaped tart, the crostata, is one such creation. The strawberry crostata is absolutely simple in its essence, yet it tastes like a field of strawberries! A rustic but also refined dessert, it is the perfect ending to a weekend meal. The splash of Grand Marnier brings an unexpected twist that complements the powerful strawberry flavor without overpowering it. The pine-nut crust is also very simple and easy to make and I must say fool-proof (a recipe I've develop many years ago and have now made countless times). Once the strawberry season is over, branch out and make this crostata with apricots, peaches, blueberries, plums, even apples… The possibilities are endless — and so is the enjoyment of it all.

* click here to watch strawberry sorbet video

Read about one person's crostata-making experience...
Strawberry Crostata with Grand Marnier
makes 1 large crostata


For the crust
1 1/4 cup unbleached white flour
1/4 cup pine nuts
2 tablespoons turbinado sugar
pinch sea salt
8 tablespoons cold unsalted butter — cut in 1"chunks
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 tablespoons cold milk

For the filling
1 1/2 lbs fresh strawberries — hulled and halved
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons corn starch
2 tablespoons Grand Marnier
1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest (use microplane grater)
1/3 cup turbinado sugar

1 teaspoon powdered sugar as garnish
fresh mint leaf as garnish

extra flour for rolling the dough
1 large jellyroll pan — lightly buttered

Step 1: In the bowl of a food processor, combine the flour, pine nuts, sugar and salt. Process at high speed for 15 seconds. Add the chunks of butter and pulse until crumbly. In a small bowl mix the milk and vanilla extract. Drizzle on the crumbly mixture and pulse until the dough comes together in a ball. Scrape the dough from the bowl and gather into a ball. Flatten dough with the palm of your hand. Wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Step 2: Place the strawberries, lemon juice, corn starch, Grand Marnier, zest and sugar in a large bowl. Toss well and set aside.

Step 3: Preheat oven to 425°F. Unwrap dough and set it on a heavily floured surface. Sprinkle with a little flour and roll it out to a 14" circle. Set it on the jellyroll pan being careful not to break the dough. Place the strawberry mixture in the center, 1 1/2" from edge. Fold the edges of the dough up, letting it drape over the fruits. Gently press the dough around the edges to secure the sides and pinch the soft pleats so that there are no cracks in the dough.

Step 4: Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until the edges are golden brown and the fruit is bubbly. Remove from oven and let cool to room temperature. Place a slice in the center of a plate, sprinkle with powdered sugar, garnish with a mint leaf and serve.


© 2007 viviane bauquet farre — food & style NY LLC

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