When I spotted this recipe in the "Eating in Color" book, which is one of my all time favorite cook books, the picture of the Fig and Nectarine Crostata had me at hello! The results speak for themselves.
For the Dough:
1 cup whole-wheat flour 2 cup all-purpose flour ½ teaspoon baking powder ½ cup sugar 2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest ½ teaspoon salt 12 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter, cut into small pieces ½ cup ice water
For the filling:
1 pound fresh figs, sliced 4 nectarines, sliced thin and seeded ½ cup sugar 6 teaspoons cornstarch ½ cup chopped walnuts
1 large egg white, beaten 1 tablespoon demerara sugar or other coarse sugar
1.Make the dough: In a food processor, combine the whole wheat flour, all purpose flour, baking powder, sugar, lemon zest, and salt. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture looks like coarse meal. With the food processor running on low speed, slowly add ice water until the dough just comes together (you may not need all the water). With clean hands, gather the dough up and form it into a ball. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour or overnight.
2.Preheat the oven to 375F. Cover a rimmed baking sheet with a Silpat mat or coat with cooking spray and line with parchment paper, set aside.
3.Make the filling: In a large bowl, toss the fruit with the sugar, cornstarch, and walnuts. Set aside.
4.Remove the dough from the refrigerator and unwrap it, leaving the plastic wrap beneath the dough. Place another large sheet of plastic wrap on top of the dough. Roll the dough out into a 10-inch circle; remove the plastic wrap from the top of the dough. Add the fruit mixture to the center of the dough, leaving a 3-inch border. Fold the dough over to form an edge.
5.Using a pastry brush, coat the dough with the egg. Sprinkle the demerara sugar over the dough and exposed fruit. Bake for 40 minutes, until the crust is golden and the fruit is bubbly (some juice will escape from the crust). Display great patience while waiting 10-minutes for the crostata to cool slightly and set. Slice into wedges and serve.
