Fresh Berry Brown Butter Crostata

This recipe comes as a  special request from my friend Debra. She's an artist who not only appreciates beauty in all forms,  including good food. We've shared some amazing meals with her and her husband, Frank, so I wanted to return the favor. {and she said if I gave her the recipe she would be my friend for-ever!} Now, you can too.

I am not a baker, so you know this recipe has got to be simple and easy.  Have you ever heard of making pastry dough in the food processor then pressing it out into a pan right away? Well, here it is. It's not only easy, but it's incredible delicious: flaky, buttery, melt in your mouth scrumptious.

I've used a mixture of fresh berries, but you can use just about any fruit that's in season at the market. Pear, apples, nectarines, peaches are my favorites.  A topping of lightly whipped lemon cream and you have artistry at its most delicious. Enjoy, Debra. I'll be waiting for my dinner invitation.

{FRESH BERRY BROWN BUTTER CROSTATA}

To make the dough : for two eight inch removeable bottom fluted- edge tart pans.

3 cups flour

1 ¼ cup powdered sugar

12 oz. unsalted butter cut into cubes {keep cold until ready to use}

In a food processor, mix the flour, powdered sugar and salt until blended. Add the butter and process just until dough comes together.  Remove from the food processor and press together into a ball. 

To press into the tart pan,  take a piece of the dough and roll into a cylinder. Press the dough with your fingers into the side of the fluted edges of the tart pan. It should be about 1/2 inch thick.  Cut off the top with a knife so there is a smooth edge. Continue around the edge of the pan. To press in the center of the pan, use the palm of your hand. Press in so that the bottom of pan is covered and dough is about 1/2 inch thick. 

Pre-bake the tart dough in a 375 degree oven for 10 minutes, or just until the the dough is slightly browned.  Remove from oven.

To make the filling : for two eight inch removeable bottom fluted- edge tart pans.

3  large eggs

¾ cup sugar

1teaspoon vanilla

6 Tbs. flour

6 oz. unsalted butter

Melt the butter over low heat until it becomes a nut brown color. Remove from heat immediately and cool until ready to use.   In a stand mixer or food processor, beat  the eggs,  sugar and vanilla together until thick and light. Add the flour and cooled butter. 

Place about 2 cups of mixed berries evenly in the  pre- baked tart shell. Pour the custard over the fruit evenly. Bake at 375 degrees 40-50 minutes until golden brown.  Make sure it’s cooked in the center before removing from the oven.

Dust with confectioners sugar before serving . Serve with  1 cup whipped heavy cream mixed with 2 Tablespoons Preserved Lemon Cream or Meyer Lemon Spread . 

Makes two 8 inch tarts

Buon appetito! copyright 2010 Alisa Barry

Strawberry Shortcake Dolci Torta

We make a lot of tortas around Bella Cucina. Our signature is the ever-so- tasty Layered Basil + Sun-dried Tomato Mascarpone Cheese Torta. 

That is, until now.

{Who knew there could be a luscious sweet version of the torta?}

A  strawberry shortcake version made with Preserved Lemon Pound cake and a sweetened mascarpone cream was the answer we were looking for. Strawberries are in season at the farmer's market. Our preserved lemon pound cake is so easy to make.  And who doesn't love a pillowy cloud of  sweetened cream?  All of our favorite things layered into a luscious torta. La Dolci Vita, indeed! 

Preserved Lemon Pound Cake

4 large eggs

1 tsp. Vanilla bean

1 1/3 cups sugar

1/8 tsp. salt

1 ¾ cups flour, sifted

½ teaspoon baking powder

2 Preserved Lemon wedges , rinsed, flesh removed + diced finely *{optional}

½ cup heavy cream room temp

6 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted/cooled

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. 

Butter a 9 by 5 inch loaf pan and dust with flour. In a large mixing bowl, whisk the eggs, sugar, salt until blended.   Fold in the sifted flour, baking powder and lemons.  Add the heavy cream and butter and mix until the batter mixure is smooth.  Pour the batter into the baking pan and cook for about an hour, or until the center of the cake comes clean when pierced with a  skewer or knife. Remove from oven and cool. 

Mascarpone Cream 

1 cup of whipping cream

1 cup {8 oz.} mascarpone cheese

2 Tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla 

1/2 cup Preserved Lemon Cream  

In a stand mixer with a whip attachment, mix the cream,  sugar and vanilla just until lightly whipped.  Add the mascarpone  and lemon cream and mix just until incorporated and the mixture is smooth. 

To Assemble the Torta:

1# fresh strawberries, cleaned, stems removed and sliced. 

2 Tablespoons sugar

Toss the sliced strawberries with sugar and let sit for an hour so that it creates its own syrup. 

Line a baking pan {same size as the pound cake was baked in} with plastic wrap, allowing enough to hang over the edges of the pan so you can wrap and cover the top when it is filled.

Cut the top off the cake in order to have a flat surface.  Cut the rectangular cake lengthwise into three equal pieces.  Place one piece of cake on the bottom of the pan.  Divide the strawberries in half  and spoon over the cake with some of the syrup. Divide the mascarpone cream mixture into 3 equal parts. Spoon one part of the cream evenly over the cake. Repeat this process again, ending with the last piece of cake. Press firmly on the cake, cover it with the overhanging plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. Weight the torta with something so it will compress. {a dozen eggs in a carton work well for this}. 

When ready to serve, remove the plastic wrap and  carefully invert the pan onto a platter. Tug at the plastic wrap so the cake comes out evenly.  Spoon the rest of the mascarpone cream over the top of cake and top with sliced strawberries  and garnish with a sprig of mint. 

Serves six to eight.



Buon appetito! copyright 2010 Alisa Barry

Chocolate Walnut Tarts with Preserved Oranges

I hate to admit, I am not a big fan of chocolate {I'm ducking now......}. And like most everything, there is always an exception. I like this recipe because it is so light and laced with one of my favorite condiments, preserved oranges in orange flower water.
Mascarpone cream is, indeed, the icing on the cake!

This recipe is from my cookbook/travel journal, La Bella Vita

Chocolate Orange Walnut Tarts

For Tart Dough:

1 3/4 cups flour
3/4 cup powdered sugar
pinch kosher salt
12 tbsp. Butter, cut into cubes (butter should be cold)

In food processor, blend all ingredients until dough comes together. Remove from
Bowl and knead just until dough is smooth. Let rest 10 minutes covered in plastic wrap.
Press into 9 inch tart pan with removeable bottom. Chill for 30 minutes. Prick base of
Tart shell and line with parchment and pie weights. Bake in a preheated 350 (degree) oven until lightly golden (about 7-10 minutes). Let cool, removing parchement and pie weights.



For Tart Filling:

4 oz. Dolci Nocciola chocolate hazelnut sauce
5 tbsp. Butter, cut into pieces
1 tbsp. Mediterranean Tangerine Oil
2 whole eggs
2 tbsp. Syrup from Preserved oranges
1 tbsp. Instant espresso
1/4 cup toasted walnut pieces
¼ cup Preserved Orange pieces, coarsely chopped

In medium stainless bowl, melt chocolate in bain marie (over simmering boiling water)
Until melted. Remove from heat and whisk in butter until melted. Whisk in eggs,syrup,
And Espresso until blended. Fold in walnuts and oranges. Pour mixture into pre-baked tart shell and bake in preheated 350 (degree) oven until center comes clean when pierced
With toothpick (about 25-35 minutes).

Serve with Mascarpone whipped cream flavored with Preserved Orange syrup.

PHOTO CREDIT: THANKS TO EDIE KIRKMAN

Buon Appetito








Buon appetito!
copyright 2009 Alisa Barry

Boysenberry Buttermilk Cake

For those of you that have been following my cooking in the kitchen, you know that sweets are not my thing.
I enjoy something dolci from time to time, but I rarely have cravings to eat sweet and even less of an urge to bake.
That was until I found this recipe.

I have probably made it a half-a- dozen times since I discovered it in last month's issue of Gourmet magazine.
It's packed with fresh fruit of the season and can be served warm or room temperature, with whipped cream or ice cream, or nothing it all. The original recipe calls for raspberries, but you can substitute with whatever fruit is in season-- berries, stone fruit, tree fruit. By the end of the year, I should have a dozen or so new recipes just with this one cake batter. I like to use the cute little wood pani-bois pans.

Besides being scrumptious, it's REALLY easy to make. I wouldn't even bother, otherwise.

This past weekend I was up in Highlands, North Carolina for a wonderful event. I stopped by a wonderful little gourmet grocery in Cashier's and happened up the most magnificent boysenberries . Still warm from picking, they were big and sweet and a whole tub was going home with me.
So, I made some cake.

hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do.




BOYSENBERRY BUTTERMILK CAKE

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 stick unsalted butter, softened
2/3 cup plus 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar {for topping}
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 large egg
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 cup fresh berries

Preheat oven to 400°F with rack in middle. Line a cake pan with parchment paper.
Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Beat the butter and 2/3 cup sugar with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes, then beat in vanilla. Add egg and beat well.
At low speed, mix in flour mixture in 3 batches, alternating with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour, and mixing until just combined.
Spoon batter into cake pan, smoothing top. Scatter berries evenly over top and sprinkle with remaining 1 1/2 Tbsp sugar.
Bake until cake is golden and a wooden pick inserted into center comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes.





Buon appetito!
copyright 2009 Alisa Barry