RASPBERRY NECTARINE CROSTATA

1. Dice the butter into small pieces and place in the freezer for a short time. Put the flour, polenta, 50g sugar, lemon zest and ¾ tsp salt in a mixing bowl. Add butter and crush with fingertips. Add 80 ml of ice-cold water and knead quickly (!) and not too thoroughly into a dough. Place the dough on a lightly floured work surface and flatten into a disc approx. 15 cm in diameter. Wrap the dough in cling film and place in the fridge for at least 1 hour.

2. Mix 50g sugar and the cornstarch in a bowl. Stone the nectarines and cut each into approx. 16 narrow wedges. Add the raspberries to the sugar and mix everything together. Let steep for about 30 minutes until some juice comes out. Stir occasionally.

3. Preheat the oven to 220°C (convection 200°C). Line a tray with baking paper. Roll out the shortcrust pastry on a lightly floured work surface to a thickness of approx. 5 mm into a disc with a diameter of approx. 34 cm. Place dough on the baking sheet. Place the fruit and some juice in the middle of the dough and spread over a surface approx. 25 cm in diameter.

4. Lift the edge of the dough and press 6 cm apart to form a vertical seam. Form a standing edge all around and fold it over the fruit a little. Brush the edge with egg glaze.

5. Bake until golden around the edges and the fruit filling is bubbling (about 35 minutes). Check the color after 20 minutes and cover the crostata with kitchen paper if it is getting too dark. Place the crostata on a wire rack to cool.
   
   Serve warm or at room temperature with ice cream or whipped cream.

From Living at Home - August 2010 issue