If you’ve been with me the last few weeks, you may recall that we visited with Dave and Diane for a pasta-making event at their house in Radnor Township. Russ and I were tasked with making dessert and our contribution was a Blueberry Crostada with Homemade Lemon Ice Cream. I did not include the recipe with that blog, but promised to do so in the near future. So in keeping with that promise, here it is…

For the crostata

• 3 cups (15 oz.) fresh blueberries
• 6-3/4 oz. (1-1/2 cups) plus 3 Tbs. all-purpose flour
• 3 Tbs. confectioners’ sugar
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 Tbs. yellow cornmeal
• 4-1/2 oz. (9 Tbs.) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1 large egg yolk
• 3 Tbs. ice water; more as needed
• 1 large egg white beaten with 2 Tbs. water until foamy
• 1 Tbs. turbinado or other “raw” sugar

Step-by-Step Visual tutorial:

Instructions

1. Mix the blueberries, 3 Tbs. of the flour, and the confectioners’ sugar in a medium bowl. Set aside.
2. Position racks in the top and bottom thirds of the oven and heat the oven to 350°F. Line two rimmed baking sheets with parchment.
3. Combine the remaining 1-1/2 cups flour, granulated sugar, and cornmeal in a food processor and process until the consistency of fine sand. Add the butter and pulse until there are no visible pieces of butter. Add the egg yolk and water and pulse to form a soft dough, adding more water 1 tsp. at a time as necessary. Gather the dough into a ball and divide into 2 even pieces.
4. On a well-floured work surface, roll each piece of dough into an 11-inch circle and transfer to the prepared baking sheets. Divide the blueberry filling between the circles, mounding the berries and leaving a 1-1/2-inch edge around each circle. Sprinkle any remaining sugar-flour mixture around the berry mounds. Try to get an even amount of blueberries and dry ingredients in each crostata. Fold the edges up over the filling, pleating as you go, to partially cover the filling. Brush the exposed dough with the egg white wash and sprinkle with the raw sugar.
5. Bake for 25 minutes. Rotate the sheets top to bottom and back to front. (If there is any white flour mixture showing, carefully spoon a little of the blueberry juices over to cover.) Continue baking until the crusts have browned and the filling is bubbling, about 25 minutes more. Cool on the baking sheets on a rack for at least 15 minutes or to room temperature.
6. Slice each crostada into quarters and serve with scoops of the ice cream o top.

Make Ahead Tips

The crostatas can be made up to 1 day ahead and stored on their baking sheets at room temperature, covered loosely with a clean kitchen towel. Just before serving, warm the crostatas on their baking sheets in a 200°F oven for 10 minutes.

Serving Suggestions

In order for the ice cream to readily melt and mingle with the crostata, either the crostata should be a bit warm from the oven or the ice cream should be slightly soft. If you’ve made both elements ahead and the ice cream is very hard, let it sit briefly at room temperature.

Both recipes by Bruce Weinstein, Mark Scarbrough from Fine Cooking

This simple Lemon Ice Cream recipe is a pure expression of lemon, perfect for pairing with Blueberry Crostata

• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 large egg yolk, at room temperature
• 2-1/2 Tbs. unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 tsp. lemon extract
• 1/8 tsp. table salt
• 1-3/4 cups heavy cream
• 1/4 cup whole milk

In a 4-quart saucepan, bring 2 inches of water to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to a simmer. In a stainless-steel bowl that fits over the saucepan without touching the water, combine the sugar, lemon juice, eggs, egg yolk, butter, lemon extract, and salt. Whisk vigorously until the mixture thickens to the consistency of pudding, 7 to 8 minutes.

Remove the bowl from the saucepan and whisk in the cream and milk. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a medium bowl and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, at least 4 hours or up to 1 day, covering with plastic wrap once cool.

Stir the lemon mixture and churn it in an ice cream machine according to the manufacturer’s instructions until it’s the consistency of soft-serve ice cream. Serve or pack into a container, seal, and store in the freezer for up to 1 week.

**********In the same vein (and taken from the same article) our plan for an upcoming dinner party is to make the Honey-Roasted Peanut Blondies with Fudge Ripple Caramel Ice Cream… stay tuned….