Bees are tucked in.


Even in Mitchell County near Penland - we got snow.  The bees are stuck in for a while!

Comments

Steve White said…
Beefy Pear, gorgonzola, walnut crostata

One recipe for pie dough

1and ¼ cups AP flour
½ teaspoon salt
one stick cold unsalted butter, cut into ½ inch cubes
1 teaspoon dried thyme
¼ cup ice water

Filling
1.5 ripe firm Bartlett pears, cored and thinly sliced
Juice of ½ lemon
1/3 cup coarsely chopped dried apricots
3 slices bresaola or if unavailable, prosciutto or pancetta, coarsely chopped
1/3 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
1/3 cup John Britt Honey
½ teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
pinch salt
generous dash of cinnamon
1 tablespoon flour
egg wash (beaten egg, pinch of sugar, salt)

Topping
¼ cup crumbled gorgonzola or more if desired
fresh ground pepper

Preheat oven to 375 F

Make the pie dough. In a food processor, pulse the flour and salt. Sprinkle the butter evenly around and pulse 10 one second pulses. Add the thyme and pulse a few times. Pulse adding the water in increments. Pulse just until the dough starts to come together. Do not have processor wad it into a ball. Dump in a big bowl and knead one or two times. Form a disc half inch thick and wrap in plastic wrap. Let it rest in fridge at least 30 minutes or overnight.

In a large bowl gently toss all the filling ingredients coating the fruit completely. Chill 20 minutes

Roll out the pie dough on a floured surface to a 12 inch circle. Move it to a parchment-paper-lined cookie sheet that’s about 18X13 inches. Put the filling in the center and spread it so that there is a two inch border of free pastry space. Sprinkle the gorgonzola on top the filling and then the pepper. Gently fold in the two inches of pastry dough all the way around. There will be rustic folds. Try to not have breaks in the dough and there will not be leaking of juices. Brush the raw dough with egg wash. Bake 45 to 50 minutes, midrack until golden and bubbly. Serve warm or at room temperature as an appetizer, main course or dessert.