I love pie but making a crust look pretty isn't my strong suit…yet. I'm working on it, but in the meantime, there is the rustic and lovely crostata which looks best a little undone (or so I tell myself). It has a homemade quality and is so much quicker to put together than fussing around a fluted rim of dough.


 

Roll out some homemade dough, mound in some fruit filling, flip up the edges and bake until golden. So what if the filling leaks, it only adds to its charms. Right?!?

So when I was recently gifted with some rhubarb from a friends garden I knew that making some kind of pie would be in my near future. Rhubarb and raspberry? Of course! It's one of my favourite combinations and is a such a better pairing than the same old strawberry-rhubarb.

Here in Vancouver we can still find local raspberries on market shelves, but if you can only find frozen ones (without being packed in syrup), those work wonderfully as well – no need to thaw. If you're a bit nervous with making pie dough, this one is a snap using a food processor. If you don't have one, don't sweat it, you can still make it the old fashioned way - just have a pastry cutter at the ready! 

As you can see from the photo above, it just bleeds deliciousness. I'm ready for another slice, please. 

Rhubarb and Raspberry Crostata

(adapted from Lotte and Doof)

Crust:

1 cup all purpose flour

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1 1/2 tablespoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

3/4 cup chilled unsalted butter, cubed

1 large egg

1 tablespoon milk

Filling

2 tablespoons cornstarch

4 cups rhubarb, sliced

8 oz raspberries (fresh or frozen works well)

2/3 cup sugar

1 egg, beaten

raw sugar

For the Crust:

Combine flours, sugar and salt in a food processor and blend for 5 seconds. Add butter and pulse until butter is reduced to pea-sized bits. In a small bowl, whisk together egg and milk and add to the processor and pulse until moist clumps form. Dump dough onto the centre of a large piece of plastic wrap and gather the plastic corners together and twist so that you have created a tight ball of dough. Press dough within the plastic wrap and wrap again using another piece of plastic. Chill at least 2 hours or overnight. Can be made 2 days ahead. 

For the Filling:

Dissolve the cornstarch in 3 tablespoons of cold water and set aside. In a large saucepan, heat together the raspberries, rhubarb and sugar over medium heat until sugar dissolves and juices are released, about 4 minutes. Stir in cornstarch mixture and bring to a boil. Transfer to a bowl to cool. 

Making the Crostata:

Preheat oven to 400F. Roll out dough on floured parchment to about 12" round. Mound the raspberry/rhubarb filling into the centre leaving a 1 1/2" border. Gently fold over the edges of the dough over the filling, pleating as necessary. Brush border with the beaten egg and sprinkle with raw sugar. Slide parchment with the crostata onto a large rimmed baking sheet and bake until filling is bubbly and crust is golden, about 45 minutes. Let crostata cool on a wire rack. Transfer to a platter and cut into wedges, serving with ice cream  or whipping cream.