I've always read that successful dishes depend on the best seasonal ingredients. For instance, asparagus, a spring vegetable, isn't the best choice for a vegetable side dish in the dead of winter. Berries in February? They probably won't be the star of the show.
This summer I've been taking advantage of these foodie guidelines. I try to go to the local farmers' market once a week. Without a shopping list, I just peruse and see what looks the best and fill up my bag.
Lately, I've been using fresh fruit for easy-to-throw-together desserts. Beautiful plums, bright red raspberries, juicy peaches, and tart blueberries have found their way into crumbles and tarts.
I have this thing about tarts. I do make my own crusts and I love tarts in any shape, form...sweet, savory...I just love them. For a quick treat though, I also love rustic tarts, or crostatas in Italian. Crostatas are super easy to make. I made an apple one last fall for my mom and stepdad. My mom asked for the recipe and now she makes them all the time.
Sometimes I still make my own dough for the crostatas, but when I need a crostata and I need one now, I keep some store bought pie crusts in the freezer. I thaw the crust, heat the oven, and toss some sliced fruit with sugar, maybe a little flour, lemon juice and then pour the mixture into the center of the rolled out crust. I fold over the edges and usually egg wash and sugar the crust so it browns. I get extra oohs and ahhs for that move.
Making a crumble is even easier. Toss the fruit with sugar, etc., pour it into a baking dish and top with oats, nuts, brown sugar. Delicious.
I've served plum raspberry crumble, plum crostata, peach blueberry crostata. So far, no complaints.
I've always read that successful dishes depend on the best seasonal ingredients. For instance, asparagus, a spring vegetable, isn't the best choice for a vegetable side dish in the dead of winter. Berries in February? They probably won't be the star of the show.
This summer I've been taking advantage of these foodie guidelines. I try to go to the local farmers' market once a week. Without a shopping list, I just peruse and see what looks the best and fill up my bag.
Lately, I've been using fresh fruit for easy-to-throw-together desserts. Beautiful plums, bright red raspberries, juicy peaches, and tart blueberries have found their way into crumbles and tarts.
I have this thing about tarts. I do make my own crusts and I love tarts in any shape, form...sweet, savory...I just love them. For a quick treat though, I also love rustic tarts, or crostatas in Italian. Crostatas are super easy to make. I made an apple one last fall for my mom and stepdad. My mom asked for the recipe and now she makes them all the time.
Sometimes I still make my own dough for the crostatas, but when I need a crostata and I need one now, I keep some store bought pie crusts in the freezer. I thaw the crust, heat the oven, and toss some sliced fruit with sugar, maybe a little flour, lemon juice and then pour the mixture into the center of the rolled out crust. I fold over the edges and usually egg wash and sugar the crust so it browns. I get extra oohs and ahhs for that move.
Making a crumble is even easier. Toss the fruit with sugar, etc., pour it into a baking dish and top with oats, nuts, brown sugar. Delicious.
I've served plum raspberry crumble, plum crostata, peach blueberry crostata. So far, no complaints.
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