Almond-Poppy Seed Crostata

Very European flavors, but super simple. Made with a crunchy, buttery crust, filled with poppy seed filling and almond cream, the crust has then been folded over the edges, sprinkled with sugar in the raw and baked. Crostata is just an Italian word for what we know as a pie, but the edges are folded over the contents of the pie and makes it seem more rustic.

Crust:

In a large mixing bowl add:

1C white whole wheat flour

2T sugar

1/2t salt

1 stick unsalted, cold butter, cut in small pieces

Using your hands mix together roughly until the butter has mixed in the flour more, and the whole thing looks like course crumbs. You want there to be butter chunks left, this is what makes the crust flakey. Add the wet ingredients (below), and make one big ball.

1 egg

1T cold milk

1T cold water

If it's still too dry, add a little more water, but this should be enough. Flatten in to a disc and wrap in plastic wrap. Cool in the freezer for 15 minutes.

Now grease a pie dish, roll out the dough 1/4" thick evenly by using all purpose flour so the dough doesn't stick to the counter. 

Almond Cream:

In a mixing bowl put:

1 1/2 sticks soft butter

1 1/4C sugar

2C almond flour, or finely ground toasted almonds put in a food processor.

1t vanilla extract

1/2t almond extract

1T dark rum

Mix till smooth, and as you mix add:

4 large eggs, one at a time. Continue mixing, then on low speed add:

1/4C all-purpose flour

Mix till combined.

To put the crostata together:

Open a can of sweetened poppy seed filling, available at grocery stores in the Jewish section. Put the contents in the bottom of the crust, or you could mix it into the almond cream if you want it all over the inside of the crostata.

Then put the almond cream on top. Fold over the dough edges, they don't have to be even. With a little cream and a pastry brush, glaze the dough edges with cream, then sprinkle sugar in the raw on top, including over the top of the almond cream. Bake in the oven at 325F till the wooden skewer comes out clean. It will bake a little over 1 hour.

The poppy seed filling can also be substituted for cherries, blueberries, and cream cheese filling, pears, apples.. there are many options. If substituting with fruit, then I would first fill the shell with the almond cream, and add the fruit on top, to not make the crust too wet.