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Arthur Schwartz' PEACH CROSTADA---YUM!
THE ANTICIPATION HAS ALMOST BEEN UNBEARABLE, but my wait is finally over. SWEET, JUICY absolutely gorgeous YELLOW PEACHES have arrived at my farmers market. And of course I just couldn't help myself and bought way too many, Now, I have the happy dilemma of figuring out WHAT TO DO WITH ALL OF THEM? I could freeze them--I guess that's a possibility. A yummy peach pie is another, but that requires more time and energy than I can muster right now. Still, I WANT TO MAKE SOMETHING SERIOUSLY PEACHY! So, rummaging around in my recipe box, I dusted off an old favorite that I actually got off a now defunct AM radio show. It was hosted by Arthur Schwartz in New York City.
Every day at noon. I religiously listened to him on WOR. He was CRUSTY, OPINIONATED and didn't suffer fools well. Nevertheless he was FUN to listen to and his banter was all about delicious food. This peach crostada is his, which I scribbled down as he dictated it over the airwaves. It's way easier than pie. And IT'S ONE OF THE MOST DELICIOUS THINGS YOU CAN DO WITH A BUNCH OF PEACHES. A crunchy "crumb bun" kind of crust is topped with juicy peaches and cinnamon sugar all baked in a creamy custard. Can't believe I forgot about it.
LESSONS Learned:
1. You must start with great peaches to get a delicious crostada.
2. Peeling the peaches can be time consuming. An easy fix is to put those whole peaches in boiling water for 2-3 minutes, pull them out and let them cool slightly, Then the peels will come off easily.
3. The original recipe calls for 1 cup of sugar. I cut that back by 1/4 cup because my peaches were so sweet on their own. Depending on your sweet tooth, you may want to add more.
4. Press the crumble mixture into the pan as evenly as you can.
5. Keep stored at room temperature for up to 2 days. Don't refrigerate it, as it can get soggy.
Arthur Schwartz' PEACH CROSTADA
(slightly adapted from "Soup Suppers")
Ingredients:
2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar, divided
1/2 tsp salt
8 tbsp butter, cut in 1/2" dice
5-6 medium peaches, peeled and cut in quarters
1/8th teaspoon cinnamon (optional)
1 cup sour cream or heavy cream
2 eggs
Make the Crostada:
Arrange the rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
In a medium mixing bowl, stir together the flour, 1/4 cup of the sugar and salt. Using your fingers, rub the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Press the mixture evenly into the bottom and up the sides of a deep 9 or 10 inch pie plate. A 9 x 13 inch baking dish works well too.
Arrange the peaches over the crust. Mix the remaining 1/2 cup sugar and cinnamon together. Evenly sprinkle it over the peaches. Bake for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, beat together the sour cream or cream and eggs till well blended. After the crostata has baked for 15 minutes, remove it from oven, pour the egg and cream mixture over the peaches and then return it to oven for another 35-40 minutes, until the center is completely set. Serve warm or room temperature.
Makes 8-10 servings. YUM!
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