Fall Apple Crostata

Crostata?

What in God's name is a Crostata?

It's actually the most delicious, lazy version of a pie, that's what!

This scrumptious Fall dessert is actually a family favorite. So much so that my father will be devastated if he doesn't come home to one on Friday nights. My mom will make it every week and it will disappear in about 1 day. 

It is so good.

This is the fam in the flesh. Pretty good lookin', right? lol

Anyways, we like to have it so often in the Fall not only because it's flavor is amazing but also because it's incredibly easy and quick to make. 

I have made this at school in the past and I have only gotten rave reviews. It takes all of 10 minutes to prep and 20 minutes to bake. I think 30 minutes is a reasonable amount of time to wait for a fantastic dessert. 

The recipe is also very flexible depending on your cooking skills or available ingredients. For example, you can buy store brand pie crust or make your own and it will STILL taste amazing.

Oh...and P.S....it tastes like an apple pie that you have been making for hours.

Pretty sweet deal, huh? 

Impress your friends with this heavenly Fall dessert the next time you decide to generously feed them. 

I promise they will tell you you shouldn't have put in so much effort ;)

Ingredients

FOR THE PASTRY (2 Crostatas)

2 cups  all-purpose flour

1/4 cup  granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon  kosher salt

1/2 pound  very cold unsalted butter, diced

FOR THE FILLING (1 Crostata)

4  Medium McIntosh Apples

1/4 cup  all-purpose flour

1/4 cup  granulated sugar

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon  ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon  allspice

4 tablespoons  cold unsalted butter (1/2 stick), diced

I was lucky enough to have made this recipe at home and my mom already had some extra frozen pastry dough in the freezer. We let it defrost for about 1 hour and it was ready to go. 

If you are making your own pastry, simply combine pastry ingredients flour, sugar, and salt in cuisinart or blender. Pulse several times to combine. Then, add butter and toss quickly with your fingers to coat each cube of butter with flour. Pulse 12-15 times more or until the butter is the size of peas. While the motor is running add 1/4 cup ice water until the dough gets very close to coming together. pour dough onto a floured cutting board and form into two disks. Wrap in plastic as seen below and refrigerate one of the disks for at least one hour. Freeze the other disk.

Now, if you're feeling lazy, just run to the supermarket and buy some store brand dough and you can skip the first step. 

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

 Roll the pastry dough into an 11-inch circle on a lightly floured surface. Then, transfer to a baking sheet  lined with parchment paper.

Next! Select four apples of your choice. My mom and I generally use McIntosh because it bakes well.

Next, in a medium size bowl combine filling ingredients flour, sugar, cinnamon, allspice and butter.

Mix together with your hands or a fork until well combined like the picture below.

 Peel the skin off of the apples and dice.

Place apples in the center of the dough and allow for a 1-inch border.

Sprinkle and evenly distribute filling over top of the apples.

Fold up the sides and WOW! Doesn't that look good!?

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until edges are brown. Let cool for 10 minutes and Enjoy!

Now, Shut Up and Eat.

Love,

Laura

Ina Garten Recipe

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Cookies for Two

I love cookies.

In fact, that's precisely the problem. I really, really like cookies- and when I bake a batch, I can't stop eating them. "It would be wrong to leave them here to go to waste!" I'll say to myself, justifying my repeated indulgence in that unmistakable crispy crumble and warm gooey center. YUM!

Last night, an overwhelming craving for chocolate chip cookies overcame me. You know the angel and devil scenario,
"Oh, they'll be so delicious...Why don't you just make a batch now!"
"Don't do it, Jennifer! You'll just eat the whole thing and you know it! Self control!"

And then it hit me...Why can't there be a middle ground to settle this moral dilemma? What if I make enough batter for just TWO cookies?! By God, I think I'm on to something!

This recipe is the most amount of perfection. You can make it in a cereal bowl and it's easy as...well...cookies! It makes just two, so you can have one yourself and save the other for that special someone. Or in my case, pack the other in Tupperware for tomorrow's lunch.

In any case, try out this recipe the next time you're feeling the urge for chocolate chip cookie right out of the oven. It's a great recipe to keep on hand if you have an unexpected guest for dinner!

Cookies for Two:

2 tablespoons of butter

2 firmly packed tablespoons of dark brown sugar

1 tablespoon of granulated sugar

Pinch of kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract

1 egg yolk - discard or set aside egg white for a different use

1/4 teaspoon of baking soda

1/4 cup of all-purpose flour

3 heaping tablespoons of semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a microwave safe bowl, heat butter just until it starts to melt and is softened. Blend softened butter, sugars, salt, and vanilla together by hand. Add egg yolk and stir again. Add baking soda and flour and stir until combined. Then stir in chocolate chips. 

Form cookie dough into two balls and place on baking sheet. The cookies will spread during baking, so make sure they are several inches apart. Bake for about 8 minutes, or until edges are golden brown.

Remove baking sheet from oven and give the baking sheet a firm, but careful bang on the counter top. This will deflate the cookie and give it a perfect wrinkly appearance.

(I know what you're thinking... "Jenn, those cookies are bigger than your face! That's like eating four cookies, not one!" ... You know what I say to that? "You're exactly right!...Now shut up and eat!")