Apple, Fig and Almond Crostata - From Babbo's Kitchen to Yours

As you know, I had the amazing fortune of being a part of the New York Culinary Experience this year, in which I took a fall-themed pastry class with Babbo's Pastry Chef, Gina DePalma.  You might remember me unveiling one of Chef Gina's fall recipes a couple of weeks ago for a chestnut cake called Castagnaccio.  The feedback was good so I wanted to unleash another delicious creation that my family and friends liked even more - the apple, fig and almond crostata.

Sure it looks impressive and intricate, but the beauty of this dish is how versatile and forgiving it is.  You can arrange the apples in any way you want and your tart crust can look far from perfect.  The most important aspects are the flavors and making sure you get them right.  Although there are a lot of steps that go into making this crostata (blocking off a good chunk of time to make it is recommended), it's worth every chop, stir, saute and roll of your rolling pin.  Check out Chef Gina's recipe below and if you recruit a friend to join you, you'll not only have great fun, the process will go a lot quicker.

Apple, Fig and Almond Crostata - Serves 10-12

Ingredients:

Crostata Dough:
2 cups of unbleached all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp of Kosher salt
3 tbs granulated sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick, 4 oz) cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
2 large egg yolks
3 tbs milk

Filling:
8 oz. dried figs
1/4 cup of honey
3/4 cup of orange juice
1 tbs of granulated sugar

Almond Cream:
1 cup of sliced almonds, toasted and finely ground
1 cup of confectioner's sugar
6 tbs (3 oz.) of unsalted butter, softened
2 large egg yolks
A pinch of Kosher salt

Apples and Final Assembly:
3 large golden delicious apples
1 tsp lemon juice
1/2 cup plus 1 tsp granulated sugar
2 tbs water
1 tbs unsalted butter

Directions:

For the Crostata Dough:
Place the flour, salt and sugar into the bowl of a food processor and pulse to combine them.  Add the cold butter cubes and process until the mixture resembles small crumbs.  In a small bowl, whisk the egg yolks and milk together with a fork.

Add the mixture to the food processor and pulse until the mixture just begins to clump together to form a dough.  Gather the dough into a ball and flatten it to form a disc.  Wrap the dough in plastic and chill it for an hour before rolling it. 

After the dough has chilled, roll it out on a lightly floured surface to 1/8" thick and transfer it to a 10 inch tart pan, with even or fluted sides.  Tuck the excess dough to create a decorative trim, if using an even sided pan, or trim it flush with the edge if using a fluted pan.  Place the unbaked shell back in the refrigerator to chill while you caramelize the apples.

For the Fig Filling:
Trim the stems off the dried figs, cut them into quarters and place in a 2 quart saucepan.  Add the honey and orange juice to the pot and place over medium heat.  Cook simmering gently, for 10-12 minutes or until the figs are soft and about half of the orange juice has been absorbed.  Remove from heat and allow to cool for 5 minutes, then transfer the entire contents of the pan to the bowl of a food processor and process for about a minute to make a thick fig paste.  Transfer the fig filling to a clean bowl and set aside.

For the Almond Cream:
Place the toasted, sliced almonds in the food processor with the confectioner's sugar and pulse a few times to chop the almonds roughly.  Add the butter and process for 20 seconds to combine all the ingredients.  Add the 2 egg yolks, a pinch of salt and process again until creamy - about 10 seconds.  Transfer the almond cream to a clean bowl and set aside.

For the Apples:
Peel and core the apples and cut them into 1/4" lengthwise slices.  Place the apple slices in a bowl and toss them with the lemon juice to prevent browning.

Place 1/2 cup of sugar and the 2 tbs of water into a large, heavy-bottomed saute pan and stir together to wet the sugar.  Set the pan over high heat and cook the sugar, shaking the pan every so often, until it turns into deep golden caramel.

Gently add the apples to the pan and stir with a heat-proof spatula to coat the apples in the caramel.  Cook the apples over medium heat, stirring them gently, until they have released their juices and are evenly colored.

Add the butter to the pan and toss to melt and coat the apples.  Remove the pan from the heat and pour the contents into a large baking dish or rimmed cookie sheet, spreading the apples in an even layer to cool.

For Final Assembly:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Remove the tart shell from the refrigerator and with an offset spatula, spread the fig filling in an even layer over the bottom of the pan.  Add the almond cream and use the spatula to spread it in another even layer over the fig filling.  Arrange the apple slices in a shingled, circular pattern over the top, working from the outside edge inward, ending with a tight spiral.  Reserve the apple caramel in a small bowl.

Sprinkle the top of the apples with 1 tsp of granulated sugar and place the tart on a cookie sheet to catch any drips.  Bake for 40-45 minutes, until the crust and apples are golden brown and the filling has puffed to the edge of the pan.  Cool the crostata on a wire rack for 10 minutes.  With a pastry brush, carefully brush the apples with the reserved caramel (optional). 

Allow the crostata to cool; it may be served slightly warm or at room temperature with a dollop of softly whipped cream or a scoop of gelato.

Castagnaccio - A Perfect Fall Dessert

Earlier this week, I touched upon the wonderful time I had at last weekend's New York Culinary Experience, where I had the good fortune of taking a class with Babbo's Pastry Chef, Gina DePalma.  Focusing on rustic Italian desserts, Chef Gina introduced us to her personal fall dessert favorites that were inspired by her visits to Italy.  In many cases, she's adapted the recipes to her personal liking and the tastes of the Babbo clientele.  Our tastebuds concurred, as we enjoyed each one of her creations that we made under close instruction.

The particular dessert I'm going to concentrate on here is called Castagnaccio, which is a spicy, chestnut flour-based dessert.  It's filled with everything but the kitchen sink including pine nuts, dried cherries, golden raisins, rosemary, cocoa, chestnut honey and a whole bunch more.  It might sound a bit wacky but once this toothsome dessert hits your palate, you won't be sorry you made it.

Castagnaccio (Serves 16)

Ingredients:
2 cups of chestnut flour
2 tbs all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbs baking powder
1 tbs cocoa powder
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup dried sour cherries
1/3 cup of golden raisins
Heaping 1/2 cup of toasted walnuts, chopped
1/3 cup of toasted pine nuts
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup of olive oil
1/2 branch of rosemary leaves, stripped and chopped
3 tbs chestnut honey

For Chestnut Honey Syrup
1/2 cup chestnut honey
2 tbs granulated sugar
1 cup Vin Santo
2 wide strips of orange zest

Directions:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Grease and line a 9 x 2 inch cake pan with parchment paper.

In a large mixing bowl, place chestnut flour, all-purpose flour, salt, baking powder, cocoa powder and sugar.  Mix well to combine, then mix in the nuts and dried fruit.  Make a well in the center of the bowl.  Add the eggs to the well, followed by the olive oil, rosemary and honey.  Combine the well ingredients lightly with a fork, then using your hands, mix everything together until completely combined.  Press mixture into cake pan evenly, smoothing the top.

Bake for approximately 20 - 25 minutes, or until puffed and slightly cracked.  Remove the pan to a rack to cool for 10 minutes in the pan, then unmold the cake onto the rack to continue cooling.  Invert it so the top of the cake is facing up.

While the cake is cooling, place all the syrup ingredients into a small saucepan, stirring to combine them.  Bring the mixture to a boil, lower the heat and simmer for 3 minutes.  Brush the hot syrup over the surface of the warm cake.  As the cake continues to cool, keep brushing it lightly with the syrup on the sides and top, until it is glossy and moist on the surface.

Transfer the Castagnaccio to a stand or plate for display.  Serve in very thin slices with a glass of dessert wine.

My New York Culinary Experience - Raw, Uncut and Delicious

This past weekend, I had the immense honor of being part of the 3rd Annual New York Culinary Experience, organized by New York Magazine and the French Culinary Institute.  I respect both institutions and had high hopes for the event, which proved to be a wonderfully interactive learning experience that entailed lots of interaction with top culinary talent and a great opportunity for networking with peers. 

The roster of cooking classes was impressive and the the caliber of chef talent teaching these was the cherry on this already rich sundae.  Each person got to participate in 4 interactive classes (2 per day) as well as 2 Q&A luncheons with renowned culinary leaders from all walks of life.

In addition to learning a lot valuable cooking and baking skills, I was also intrigued to have prime access to the chefs, which we foodies consider to be highly revered celebrities.  Though truly fascinating and respectable, I saw a common thread that connected us all at the core - our immense and intense love of food.

Day 1:
I arrived eagerly and slightly unsure of what to expect, rushing off to my first class, Autumn in Italy taught by Babbo Pastry Chef, Gina DePalma.  I've read quite a lot about Chef Gina and felt as if I already knew her through the vivid description I read in the book, Heat by Bill Buford.  Here's what I got out of the class:

Autumn in Italy by Chef, Gina DePalma - Chef Gina's class was invigorating and highly ambitious.  She introduced us to three new rustic Italian desserts that I've never tried making or eating for that matter.  She demoed everything before we got to it and it was fun watching her in action, as she offered tons of vivacious commentary infused with her sarcastic humor.  People were really into it and interacted with her by asking questions and her personal opinion on various baking matters.

We made 3 desserts including a rustic apple, fig and almond cream crostata, a spicy chestnut cake called Castagnaccio and finally, Mostarda, a very unique pear syrup reduced in mustard seed oil that's delicious when served on top of cheese. I'll post the recipes for all these goodies at a later time.

Hearth Classics by Chef, Marco Canora - I found the afternoon class taught by Chef, Marco Canora of Hearth and Terroir even more enlightening.  Before meeting Chef Marco, I have to admit that I was unfamiliar with him and his cuisine.  But it didn't take long for his electric personality to make a lasting impression.  Besides being a talented Chef, Marco has a knack for teaching.  If you ever have the opportunity to take a class with him, I'd highly suggest it because he's clear in his instruction, breaks down complex skills into easier tasks and engages with his audience on a deep level.  I think it's safe to say that by the end of the class, we were all Marco converts and have probably made our Open Table reservations for one of his restaurants.

The two things we made with Chef Marco were homemade gnocchi and a braised rabbit stew.  I personally benefited from both dishes because I'm a huge gnocchi lover and have been meaning to make them from scratch.  And in terms of the rabbit...well learning how to break down this delicious animal was a good skill to learn and knowing how to cook it appropriately was useful too.  The sauce we made with the rabbit stew can be done with any other protein too, making the recipe very adaptable.  Again...I'll post the recipe specifics at a later time.

Here are 3 videos of Chef Marco prepping the dough for the gnocchi:

Video 1
Video 2
Video 3

Day 2:
After a successful first day, I couldn't wait to see what day 2 had in store.  I was taking an Australian Cuisine class in the morning with Chef, Shaun Hergatt of SHO Shaun Hergatt and then a pastry class focusing on the uses of brown butter with Le Bernadin's pastry Chef, Michael Laiskonis.  Experimenting with brown butter in desserts...need I say more?

Australian Cuisine with Chef, Shaun Hergatt - Even though I'm not a complete novice when it comes to Australian food, I've been more exposed to comfort pub food rather than sophisticated cuisine.  Chef Shaun's class was the perfect outlet for learning more about Australian fruit and spices that elevate an ordinary dish to the next level. 

Everyone seemed to really enjoy Chef Shaun's class and although he started off very serious, he warmed up quickly.  I loved all the personal attention he gave to each student by walking around, critiquing, tasting and in some cases (like ours) correcting.  His manner was friendly and easy going but at the same time, you knew he meant business. I appreciated his devotion to his art and I learned a lot of useful techniques.

The two things we made in Chef Shaun's class were Ocean Trout in Kalamansi dressing and Wattleseed ice-cream.  Both use unusual ingredients that we're unfamiliar with in the States, but it was fun to try new flavor combinations that awoke our senses.  The Ocean Trout was actually a tartare, which I've never made before.  It was challenging and precise and by the end of the class, I felt like a pro, with my beautifully formed tartare round with bright orange roe on top.  I was proud of myself to work up such a complex dish and might even try it at home.

The Allure of Brown Butter with Pastry Chef, Michael Laiskonis - Naturally loving all food with butter, the topic of this class spoke to me.  I was excited to meet Chef Laiskonis, who was very organized and methodical.  A very thorough individual, he had a map of everything that we'd cover in class on PowerPoint slides. I had to giggle to myself when I saw this because I sort of felt like I was at work, only covering a way more interesting topic.  My only criticism of Chef Laiskonis' class is that he wasn't as interactive with the students as the other chefs had been.  He relied more on the French Culinary Institute volunteers and chefs to help us, which was fine, but a bit less exciting.

Chef Michael's agenda was also ambitious, as we made 4 desserts including two types of Financier cookies (my favorite of the day and pictured above) including brown butter and pistachio.  I just loved the color of the pistachio cookies and we all agreed that they had more flavor.  The other two items we practiced was making a brown butter ice cream base and also roasted white chocolate that we made from scratch. Very cool and super indulgent - almost like dulce de leche.

Overall, the New York Culinary Experience was  a memorable weekend that taught me to further appreciate the simplicity and craftsmanship of great food and the amazing culinary geniuses that make it happen.

To view pictures from this year's event, check out NYCE's FB page.

For Serious Foodies Only - The New York Culinary Experience

Image by www.nymag.com

I'm so excited to tell you about a serious foodie weekend that's coming to New York, which I'll be attending.  The New York Culinary Experience, sponsored by New York Magazine and the French Culinary Institute, (which I love) will be an amalgamation of acclaimed chefs and the serious foodies who want to learn from them.  I was truly impressed by the high caliber of chef talent and the variety of classes offered during this weekend. 

Some of the wonderful cooking topics you'll explore include:

Cooking strozzapreti with sausage and grapes and other dishes inspired by the Italian grape harvest alongside Andrew Carmellini

Glazing and slow roasting Long Island duck with Alex Guarnaschelli

Mastering Portuguese and Spanish shellfish preparations with George Mendes

Brushing up on knife skills while learning the secrets to Morimoto’s hometown dishes from Hiroshima

Creating Italian crostatas and autumn-inspired confections with Gina DePalma

Using every part of a duck with Anita Lo

Making French Alsatian onion tarts and charcuterie with Andre Soltner

Getting the most out of seasonal products with Laurent Tourondel

And so much more...

When and where else are you going to get the chance to interact with such top-notch talent? Personally, I'm amazed and can't wait for this weekend to come.

Here are the details if you'd like to be a part of it and buy tickets. Proceeds benefit the Future Chefs Scholarship Fund.

The New York Culinary Experience

October 2nd & 3rd, 2010
The French Culinary Institute - 462 Broadway, New York NY 10013
Tickets - include 4 classes, breakfast, lunches and closing reception each day