Mixed Berry Crostata

I recently made a Apple Cinnamon Crostata.  A crostata is the fastest way I know to make a pie.   I wanted to try one with berries.  Basically you lay out a crust, put some fruit on top, fold over the crust and bake.  It is a bit more complicated, but that is the main idea. 

You don't use a lot of sugar and there is only half as much pie crust, so I have determined that these are healthy and I should  be able to have one from time to time.

I made this crostata with a mix of berries, but any amount of berries to make up about 3 cups of fruit should work.

 

Mixed Berry Crostata

1 purchased pie crust
2 cups blueberries, rinsed and picked over
1 cup strawberries, sliced
1/2 cup raspberries
1/3 cup sugar
1 Tablespoon lemon juice, or zest a REAL lemon and then juice it and add both to the fruit.  Which I would have done if I hadn't forgotten to buy one at the store.
1 Tablespoon cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 Tablespoons butter, softened

1 egg
2 Tablespoons Turbinado or raw sugar

 

Heat the oven to 400°.

Unroll the room temperature pie crust and place it on parchment paper.  I used a baking stone, but you can place the crust and the parchment on a cookie sheet.

 

Place the fruit in a medium bowl.  Add the lemon and zest...IF you were smart enough to buy a lemon instead of thinking you already had one.  If not, add a Tablespoon of lemon juice and mix gently.

 

Then sprinkle the sugar, corn starch, ginger and salt on the berries and mix again.

 

Carefully spoon the fruit into the center of the pie crust, leaving a few inches of crust all around.  Don't scrape all the juices on top of the fruit.  It will be too liquidy.  Yes.  That IS a word.

Fold the edges of the crust over the fruit.  Dot the top of the fruit with the softened butter. 

 

Make an egg wash with 1 egg and 1 Tablespoon of water.  Beat it with a fork and brush the egg mixture over the exposed edges of the crust.  Sprinkle the raw sugar over the whole top of the crostata.

 

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until the crust becomes golden brown.  Let rest an hour or so and serve warm.  If you have company, you can serve it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.  I did have company, so I got to have the ice cream.  On the other hand, they ate some of the dessert, so I didn't have a lot of leftovers, so that is only fair.