Rhubarb and Raspberry Crostata

Thursday, June 2, 2011

I’m not sure how rhubarb and strawberry became such a famous couple. For me, rhubarb and raspberry are the superior pairing.

I know, I know- rhubarb and strawberries are the first “fruits” of spring and it makes sense that they hang out together. And yes, they are delicious. But raspberry adds a deep jamminess that really elevates the tart rhubarb and makes a perfect duo. I say this, in part, because of this insanely good raspberry and rhubarb crostata that helped make our memorial day weekend memorable.

Folks, this is really, really good. Really. I think even the most devout rhubarb skeptics would love this crostata. Not only is the jammy filling amazing, the crust is incredible too. A little bit of whole wheat flour is thrown in for good measure, which adds a nice nuttiness. The crust stays surprisingly crisp and flaky, you could definitely make this early in the day you plan on serving it and it will stay fresh and crisp. This is one of the those recipes that I will look forward to making every year when rhubarb season rolls around—and further proof that rhubarb is one the best things ever.

Rhubarb and Raspberry Crostata (recipe by Karen DeMasco via Bon Appetit)

Crust

  • 1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp. sugar
  • 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
  • 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) chilled unsalted butter, cubed
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 Tbsp. whole milk

Filling

  • 1/4 cup cornstarch
  • 4 cups 1/2″-thick slices rhubarb (about 1-1 1/4 lb.)
  • 1 6-oz. container fresh raspberries
  • 2/3 cup sugar
  • 1 large egg, beaten
  • Raw sugar
  • Sweetened whipped cream or vanilla ice cream (for serving)

Crust:
Combine both flours, sugar, and salt in a processor; blend for 5 seconds. Add butter; pulse until butter is reduced to pea-size pieces. Whisk egg and milk in a small bowl to blend; add to processor and pulse until moist clumps form. Gather dough into a ball; flatten into a disk. Wrap in plastic wrap; chill at least 1 1/2hours. DO AHEAD Can be made 2 days ahead. Keep chilled.

Filling:
Dissolve cornstarch in 3 Tbsp. water in a small bowl; set aside. Combine rhubarb, raspberries, and sugar in a large heavy saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until sugar dissolves and juices are released, about 4 minutes. Stir in cornstarch mixture and bring to a boil (rhubarb will not be tender and slices will still be intact). Transfer to a bowl. Chill until cool, about 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400° F. Roll out dough on floured parchment paper to 12″ round; brush with beaten egg**. Mound filling in center of crust; gently spread out, leaving 1 1/2″ border. Gently fold edges of dough over filling, pleating as needed. Brush border with egg; sprinkle with raw sugar. Slide parchment with crostata onto a large rimmed baking sheet and bake until crust is golden brown and filling is bubbly, about 45 minutes. Let crostata cool on baking sheet on a rack. Transfer to a platter, cut into wedges, and serve with whipped cream or ice cream.

**somehow I missed this part of the instructions and only brushed the folded over edge. I can’t imagine this being any better- so no worries if you skip this step.

47 comments to “Rhubarb and Raspberry Crostata”

  1. Ruth says:

    June 2nd, 2011 at 5:20 pm

    I do indeed have a rhubarb problem. With some people it’s alcohol, with me it’s rhubarb….I kid, I kid, but this does look good enough to be addictive!

  2. Jacqui says:

    June 2nd, 2011 at 6:04 pm

    That crust, the berries, the rhubarb! My mouth is watering!

  3. Erin says:

    June 2nd, 2011 at 7:32 pm

    I am what you might call a rhubarb skeptic but I must admit this looks delicious! I may be introduced to rhubarb (I’ve never actually eaten it before) through this recipe! :)

  4. Jennifer says:

    June 2nd, 2011 at 7:44 pm

    I’ve seen a lot of raspberry rhubarb pairings lately and have been meaning to give it a shot. This recipe looks like the perfect opportunity – I <3 crostata! Thanks!

  5. Michelle says:

    June 2nd, 2011 at 9:02 pm

    Strawberries and rhubarb come about the same time, it is kind of a stretch but I think that is why they are paired. It works. Raspberries probably work better. This is a beautiful dessert. You continue to impress me post after post. Nice work!

  6. Caroline Shields says:

    June 2nd, 2011 at 9:30 pm

    I finally purchased some rhubarb. I know this is crazy. But now the question is, recipe 1 or recipe 2?

  7. Caffettiera says:

    June 3rd, 2011 at 7:05 am

    I just thought I had found my ideal rhubarb pairing: hibiscus flower, after Kim Boyce “Good to the grain” (yes, that stunning picture in the cover). I loved the different acidity and earthiness of hibiscus. But, raspberries will make the jam just as deep red and even more tasty.. Brilliant.

  8. Jasmine says:

    June 3rd, 2011 at 7:18 am

    mmm yummy! Will have to try it!

  9. Angharad says:

    June 3rd, 2011 at 8:23 am

    I adore the look of this – the word crostata even makes me giddy. I have rhubarb in my fridge so if I can just get my grubby hands on some raspberries then this is mine!
    Agreed on the strawberry/rhubarb thing. I’d not heard of this obsession until moving stateside but people go crazy for the combo here! I find it a bit too sweet – most recipes seem to be trying to calm the rhubarb down. I say, let its tartness shine!

  10. Cali says:

    June 3rd, 2011 at 10:17 am

    Oh mean, I’ve had this dog-eared since I got the issue in the mail. Now I’m just going to have to make it.

  11. Run Fast Travel Slow says:

    June 3rd, 2011 at 11:08 am

    I love the rustic look of the crust. Do you think the recipe could be successfully adapted for other fruits?

  12. Megan Gordon says:

    June 3rd, 2011 at 11:09 am

    You’re killing me, Tim. Killing me.

  13. Tova says:

    June 3rd, 2011 at 11:17 am

    I LOVE the idea of pairing rhubarb with raspberries, and the color of the filling looks absolutely gorgeous.

  14. Katherine says:

    June 3rd, 2011 at 12:43 pm

    Oh I love everything about this! Raspberry and rhubarb sounds divine.

  15. Dawn (KitchenTravels) says:

    June 3rd, 2011 at 2:26 pm

    Now THIS is a bright red dessert I can totally hang with. ;) Gorgeous!

  16. Jeffalina says:

    June 3rd, 2011 at 7:02 pm

    This is definitely getting bookmarked for when rhubarb season comes around again in Canberra. I am just starting to make my own pastry, and this looks like a good place to dive in. Cheers.

  17. Anna @The Littlest Anchovy says:

    June 4th, 2011 at 12:49 am

    This looks amazing. I think I will deviate from my normal, boring rhubarb crumble and give this a go this weekend :)

  18. kari (tanglewood baked goods) says:

    June 4th, 2011 at 4:50 pm

    i love karen demasco, and i love raspberry with rhubarb! i had some raspberry-rhubarb sorbet last summer, and it was amazing. you said the crust was perfect, but have you tried kim boyce’s rye crust? it’s also super good. beautiful photos as always!

  19. Renate says:

    June 4th, 2011 at 6:00 pm

    I want to reiterate Caroline’s question regarding which recipe to make. If you could chose only one recipe, would you say the crostata or the buckle is better?

  20. Beth says:

    June 4th, 2011 at 7:38 pm

    This crostata looks wonderful. I love the idea of pairing rhubarb with raspberry!

  21. Tim says:

    June 4th, 2011 at 10:03 pm

    Renate and Caroline- I dunno! I can’t answer that one for you. I really enjoyed both- but they are quite different! Perhaps you should just make both.

  22. Neil Butterfield says:

    June 5th, 2011 at 5:51 am

    Yours words and the photos do absolute justice to this post. I really fee like some of this right now :-)

  23. The Kitchen Magpie says:

    June 5th, 2011 at 11:44 am

    That looks sooo good, I love the pairing of raspberry with the rhubarb. Delish!

  24. ML says:

    June 5th, 2011 at 8:06 pm

    I made this crostata today and it was so wonderful. Now I’m scheming a way to make it again before all the rhubarb leaves the farmer’s markets…

  25. Jess says:

    June 5th, 2011 at 8:10 pm

    I am right there with you on the raspberry rhubarb pairing. The best! I would like to eat this immediately, if not sooner.

  26. Julie says:

    June 6th, 2011 at 9:13 am

    SHUT UP!! oh wow.

  27. lise says:

    June 6th, 2011 at 2:08 pm

    that looks absolutely delicious!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    your crust in particular looks divine!
    yum!

  28. Lisa says:

    June 7th, 2011 at 1:11 am

    I love crostatas! I always use a separated egg: the yolk is brushed on the bottom & then a tablespoon or so of semolina is sprinkled over it: allegedly to stop the crust from getting soggy from the fruit. The white is then brushed on the edge (once folded over) and sprinkled with crunchy sugar (here in the UK I use preserving sugar–extra large sugar crystals, pearl sugar or crushed cubes could be used). Marvelous!

  29. Jamie-Lee says:

    June 7th, 2011 at 11:49 am

    Mmm wow. Yours looks better than the magazine version.
    And how much do you love Bon Appetit?! I got some of my favourite recipes from that magazine!

  30. Patricia Scarpin says:

    June 8th, 2011 at 6:38 am

    I love how juicy it looks! I’m a sucker for rhubarb and raspberries (all berries, actually) and they are wonderful together (haven’t tried rhubarb with strawberries since they’re in different seasons here in Brazil). Free form tarts are so rustic and beautiful.

  31. Elle at Eat Boutique says:

    June 8th, 2011 at 9:20 am

    Delicious! Eat Boutique loves crostatas almost as much as we love rhubarb. What a great way to appease all of our obsessions. Thanks!

  32. irene says:

    June 8th, 2011 at 1:24 pm

    wow, this crostata looks delicious!

  33. Stacy Marie says:

    June 9th, 2011 at 9:24 am

    This looks wonderful–and such beautiful photos!! This may have to be added to my list of rhubarb recipes that must be made before the season ends… I share your profound love for rhubarb. As you said in the last post, it is a harbinger of summer in the Midwest (I’m in Michigan), promising all the glory that is to come. I, uh, wrote a poem about it on my blog last week. It’s a serious devotion I have.

  34. Jasmine says:

    June 10th, 2011 at 3:34 am

    I am making this as I type. everything is turning out great and tasting so good.. can’t wait til it’s done so i can eat it!!!

  35. Jamie says:

    June 11th, 2011 at 10:33 pm

    I made this today, and it was delicious! I will definitely be making this again.

  36. Jenny (VintageSugarcube) says:

    June 13th, 2011 at 2:09 pm

    I first wanna say that I love your blog!! That crostata looks ahhhmazing. I’ve never made one before and really need to give it a try. :)

  37. suzy-q says:

    June 14th, 2011 at 7:30 am

    I can’t wait to make this! Here in Ontario we get rhubarb long before we get berries of any sort, so I’ve stashed away a freezer bag full of cut-up stalks, just waiting for the berries and the right recipe – now all I need are the berries! ;)

  38. Dianne says:

    June 19th, 2011 at 9:20 am

    This truly was incredibly easy and absolutely wonderful. It looked exactly like the picture and the crust came together so easily and exactly as you described. I upped the raspberry a bit (9 oz instead of 6) and it was delightful. Had family visiting from Europe and was told it was the best pie they had ever had. The crust was tender, flaky, and truly perfect. And so so so easy! Thank you — you made me look like a professional chef!

  39. Jamie-Lee says:

    June 19th, 2011 at 9:29 pm

    I linked to you (twice!) in my blog post about making a variation of this pie!

    http://thegirlwriter.blogspot.com/2011/06/strawberry-raspberry-pie.html

  40. Tim says:

    June 20th, 2011 at 7:45 pm

    Dianne- AWESOME! That is so great. Isn’t it the best when something we bake is so impressive?! So happy you liked it.

  41. Diana says:

    June 21st, 2011 at 7:35 pm

    Hello,
    I’ve made this twice since I saw it here on your blog. May I ask, what was your experience like rolling out the crust? Both times I found it a bit finicky. I did mix the dough by hand, instead of with a food processor–I’m wondering if that made a difference, or if I’m not used a wetter dough.

  42. Jamie Jean says:

    June 22nd, 2011 at 11:03 pm

    I just cut up 32 pounds of Ruhbarb this afternoon for my sister! I will be sending her a link to this recipe. Just last week I tried making a raspberry-ruhbarb sorbet. I have to say they do make a good couple.

  43. Janine says:

    July 4th, 2011 at 7:43 pm

    I’ve to agree with you on this – I by far like the raspberry-rhubarb combination as compared to the strawberry-rhubarb. Although I’ve to say that a combination of all three, with majority being rhubarb is awesome too!

  44. Ashlae // oh, ladycakes says:

    September 25th, 2011 at 7:04 pm

    Oh my, this post made me a tad bit weepy. My Great Oma (who taught me how to bake) always refused to do rhubarb + strawberry, and swore that raspberry complimented rhubarb much better.

  45. Carla says:

    May 6th, 2012 at 6:48 pm

    Thank you so much for posting this. This recipe was wonderful – I made it last night and had my mom over to taste it who is a rhubarb fanatic. However I am now left with 1/3 of the crostata which I have been slowly eating slices of all day :)

  46. Lucy says:

    May 26th, 2012 at 3:55 pm

    Thank you so much for another wonderful recipe! My grandmother was able to come to our house for Mother’s Day, and she ate two huge pieces! Even my cousins, who do not like rhubarb at all, complimented the recipe. Thank you so much

  47. Eva {Not your mama's dinner} says:

    June 6th, 2012 at 6:04 am

    Awesome! This looks absolutely scumptious… I can’t wait to try this out. Really pretty photo’s too.

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