Pear Crostata

Emma Whitley
Emma fearlessly explores bold flavors and perfects her baking craft, sharing her delicious experiments with joy.
Updated: 8/13/2020

A sublime, tender crust surrounds a just-sweet-enough pear filling.

Don’t worry about rolling, folding and pleating the crust perfectly—its free-form nature is one of its many charms. Serve with softly whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

Serves: 6 Save

Ingredients (17)

  • Pastry:
  • 1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 tablespoon sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 8 tablespoon unsalted butter, chilled and cut in small pieces
  • 2 tablespoon sour cream
  • 3 to 4 tablespoon ice water
  • Filling:
  • 4 firm-ripe Bosc pears (about 1 1/2 pounds), peeled, halved, cored and quartered, each quarter cut in 3 slices
  • 2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
  • 1/2 cup plus 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar, divided
  • 2 tablespoon all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 pinch freshly ground nutmeg
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
  • 1 tablespoon milk

Directions

  1. Combine flour, sugar and salt in a large bowl. Cut butter in with a pastry blender or two knives (or a food processor), until the size of small peas. Quickly mix in sour cream and 3 to 4 tablespoons ice water just enough so mixture barely begins to hold together, being careful not to overmix. Pat into a disc, cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate 2 hours.
  2. Let dough rest at room temperature 5 minutes. Roll dough out on a sheet of parchment paper to a 12-inch circle, and roughly trim (it needn't be perfect). Slide parchment onto a baking sheet and chill 30 minutes in refrigerator.
  3. Preheat oven to 400F.
  4. Toss pears with lemon juice in a medium bowl. Combine 1/2 cup sugar with flour, cinnamon and nutmeg in a small bowl. Sprinkle over pears; toss gently. Add vanilla; toss again.
  5. Arrange pear filling in center of pastry to within 1 1/2 inches of the edges. Working quickly, fold and pleat edges of dough up and over pears. Dot pears with butter, brush top of pastry with milk, and sprinkle remaining 1½ teaspoons sugar over top of pastry and pears.
  6. Bake 40 minutes, or until pastry is golden and pears are tender. Let cool 10 minutes before slicing.

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