Apple Crostata

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If making pie from scratch intimidates you then start with making an apple crostata . A crostata (or galette) is free form pie so no fancy crimping of the edges is needed here. This easy apple crostata made with toasted pecans is so much simpler to throw together than an apple pie and just as delicious. Top with ice-cream and caramel sauce for a real treat.

Oh pie. How do I love thee? Let me count the ways…

Is there anything that is homier than apple pie? I think not. A couple weeks ago I took a cooking class at Sur La Table where we learned to cook this scrumptious Tuscan dinner complete with this easy apple galette at the end.

If you’re new to making pies. Or they have you running scared, than a crostata is a great place to start. It’s the like the 5k version of pie marathons. You have to start somewhere right?

What Is The Difference Between A Galette And A Crostata?

A crostata and galette are basically the same thing. Which is that they are basically a rustic free form pie. 

To make a crostata you don’t need a pie plate, so on less piece of equipment you need in your kitchen. You just simply fold the dough edges up around the filling.

How Do  You Make Pie Dough?

Now you could make a crostata even easier by buying store bought pie crust. But I beg you to try it one time on your own to see just how easy it is.

Making pie dough requires just a few pieces of equipment – flour, salt, some sort of fat (butter, shortening, or a combination of both), water, and a little bit of sugar.

You can make the pie dough in your food processor or in a mixing bowl.

For a full step by step tutorial on making pie dough, read this post.

How Do You Make An Apple Crostata – Step By Step

For the apple filling, you want toss your sliced apples with the sugar, flour, and spices. 

Once you have the filling made, you want to roll out your pie dough and top with your toasted pecans. I tried topping the crostata with the toasted nuts but I found that they began to burn while baking.

You can also use walnuts instead of pecans! I’ve made this with walnuts and it was wonderful.

Then top with your filling. You want to mound the filling up in the center and still leaving a border of the dough like such…

And then fold the crust over the filling. I simply overlap the dough.

Then dot the top with butter and a sprinkle of sugar!

Make sure to egg wash the top of the crust before baking. The egg wash helps to brown the crust as its baking.

A few tips on pie dough:

• Start with COLD ingredients. Cold water, cold butter, some even say cold flour. I have to admit I don’t go that far, but I have heard some people that use even cold flour. Why cold? Cold ingredients will result in a flaky pie crust. Cold ingredients will inhibit the formation of gluten. Gluten = tough (or chewiness). Gluten development may be what you want, let’s say for bread. But it’s the last thing you want for a pie crust! Pie dough should be flaky and tender. And cold butter will then melt less when it is hit by the heat of your oven. Those pockets of butter you see in your dough will result in flakiness in the end.
• Handle the dough as little as possible. Again, we are aiming for tender flaky crust. So the less we handle the dough the better.
• Allow your dough to chill and rest for about 30 minutes before you roll it out. Again, you want your dough cold and handled as little as possible. 

Do not be afraid to make pie dough. Try this pie dough out and I promise you will gain some confidence in your pie dough making ability. What’s great about a crostata is after allowing the dough to rest in the refrigerator you simply roll it out to a nice big circle and fill with your apples. Your circle will not perfect I promise. This is after all a galette- a rustic humble version of pie. Perfection is not necessary! 

How Do I Shape A Crostata?

First start by rolling out your dough. Roll away from you, then turn your crust 90 degrees and repeat. Keep doing this until you have a giant circle of dough. Keep a little flour handy, to flour your surface so your dough doesn’t stick!

Once your pie dough is rolled out, you want to place your apple filling in the center in a big heaping pile. Yes giant heaping pile of apples, please. Then bring up the sides of your dough. Overlap your dough as you bring up a section each time.

Then it’s time to eggwash the dough! An eggwash is just egg mixed with a little water (or sometimes milk) on the dough. This egg wash will help to brown the dough as it bakes. 

I sprinkled my dough and filling with walnuts and a little turbinado sugar. This is totally optional. You could sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. Just sugar. Or use almonds if you like! Or just use the egg wash only if you pressed for time! 

Trust me no one will complain when you serve this easy apple galette for dessert. All it needs in the end is a little ice-cream and a drizzle of caramel sauce if you are feeling extra naughty 😉

Can You Freeze This Crostata?

Yes you can freeze this baked or unbaked! Just place this dessert on a cookie sheet on parchment paper, then freeze until solid.

You can then wrap in plastic wrap and  place in a zip-loc bag! You can then let the baked dessert thaw overnight, and re-heat in the oven until warm again!

If baking from frozen, no need to thaw. Just bake frozen and add a few extra minutes of baking time!

Freezing desserts is one of my go to secrets to always having a homemade dessert ready when I need one! You can grab my Freezer Baking Guide to learn how!

Craving more apple? Check out these apple recipes!

Caramel Apple Crisp

Baked Apple Cider Donuts

Salted Caramel Apple Cake

One Bowl Apple Sheet Cake

Apple Gooey Bars

If you love this recipe, then let me know by leaving me a comment and star rating below!

And if you love to bake, and want to dive into more recipes like this – from making pies, to perfect muffins, and even a fool proof angel food cake then be sure to enroll in my Ultimate Baking Bootcamp class!

Print Recipe

Apple Crostata

An easy free form pie with apples, cinnamon and topped with crunchy toasted pecans that is a cinch to make!

Prep Time20 mins

Cook Time45 mins

Total Time1 hr 5 mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: pie

Keyword: apple, crostata, pie

Servings: 8 slices

Author: Heather Perine

Ingredients

For the pie crust

• 1 1/4 cups (150 g, 5 1/3 oz) unbleached all purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 stick (4 oz, 113 g) cold unsalted butter , cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 3 to 4 tablespoons ice water

For the filling

• 1 1/2 pounds about 3 large sweet tart apples
• 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon (62 g, 2 1/8 oz) sugar
• 1/4 cup 50 g, 1 3/4 oz) light brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons unbleached all purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/8 teaspoon allspice
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 large egg beaten
• 1/4 cup (31 g, 1 oz) toasted pecans, chopped
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter cut into small pieces

Instructions

For the pie crust

• Place flour, sugar and salt int the bowl of a food processor or large mixing bowl. By pulsing or using a pastry blender, cut the butter into the flour until the butter is the size of of small peas.
• Sprinkle ice water, a tablespoon at a time, over the flour mixture. Pulse or stir the mixture until large clumps form. When enough water has been added to allow the dough to hold together, transfer to a lightly floured work surface. Gather the dough together to form a ball. Flatten the dough into a disk about 6 inches wide, cover in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before using.

To Make The Crostata

• Preheat the oven to 400 F and place a rack in the lower third. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
• Generously flour a work surface and place the chilled dough disk on the floor. Dust the top of the dough with flour. Using a rolling pin, roll chilled dough into a circle, turning and flipping the dough as needed with a bench scraper to prevent sticking until the circle measures 14 inches wide and 1/8-inch thick. Starting at one edge, roll the dough around the rolling pin and transfer to baking sheet. Chill crust while preparing the rest of the ingredients.
• Peel, core, and slice apples in 1/8-inch thick pieces. Transfer apples to a large bowl, and add 1/4 cup sugar, brown sugar, flour, spices, and salt. Toss evenly to coat.
• Remove the crust from the fridge. Top with the toasted pecans. 
• Mound the apple filling in the center of the chilled pastry crust, leaving a 3-inch border, and dot filling with the butter. Fold the border up and around the fruit. Working around the border, pinch the dough together to make an attractive pleat. Brush the top of the pleated dough, with the beaten egg and sprinkle border with walnuts and remaining tablespoon of sugar.
• Bake crostata until is golden brown and bubbly, 40 to 45 minutes. Use a metal spatula to lift the crostata slightly and check the underside of the crust, which should be golden brown like the top. Transfer the crostata to a rack to cool for 15 minutes. Slice and serve warm topped with vanilla icecream and caramel sauce.

Notes

• Start with COLD ingredients. Cold water, cold butter, some even say cold flour. I have to admit I don't go that far, but I have heard some people that use even cold flour. Why cold? Cold ingredients will result in a flaky pie crust. Cold ingredients will inhibit the formation of gluten. Gluten = tough (or chewiness). Gluten development may be what you want, let's say for bread. But it's the last thing you want for a pie crust! Pie dough should be flaky and tender. And cold butter will then melt less when it is hit by the heat of your oven. Those pockets of butter you see in your dough will result in flakiness in the end.
• Handle the dough as little as possible. Again, we are aiming for tender flaky crust. So the less we handle the dough the better.
• Allow your dough to chill and rest for about 30 minutes before you roll it out. Again, you want your dough cold and handled as little as possible. 

Adapted from Sur La Table