February is National Bake for Family Fun Month. There’s nothing like a traditional Italian crostata to add the perfect finale to any meal or to enjoy at breakfast time. For those unfamiliar with the term, a crostata is basically an Italian open-faced pie that is usually prepared in a tarte pan instead of a pie dish. Crostate (plural form of crostata) sometimes have lattice work crust on the top. Crostate are as fun to make as they are to eat, and they can be prepared in advance.
I specifically chose the combination of almond flour and olive oil for this pie crust because they taste great, have fantastic texture, and are two of the most nutritious ingredients that someone with diabetes could consume. This (unfilled) pie crust can be baked in advance, stored in the refrigerator overnight, and filled the next day, if desired. Be sure to allow enough time for the filling to set.
Recipe is adapted from Diabetes Desserts For Dummies, available for purchase in advance of its April 22nd release date here.
Prep time: 10 min Cook time: 45 min Yield: 10 servings
Ingredients
1½ cups almond flour
1 Tablespoon raw honey
¼ teaspoon unrefined sea salt
¼ cup plus 1 teaspoon Amy Riolo Selections, or other good quality extra-virgin olive oil, divided
2 cups whole milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla
4 egg yolks
½ cup sugar
4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Juice and Zest of 2 lemons
Pie weights or dried beans, for weighing down crust
1 egg white, whisked
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400F degrees. In a medium bowl with a wooden spoon, stir together almond flour, honey, and salt. Stir in the ¼ cup olive oil until dough comes together and resembles coarse crumbs.
Turn out into a 10-inch glass or ceramic pie plate greased with 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil. Press firmly with fingers into the bottom and along the sides. Use a flat-bottomed glass to even out the bottom and prick the bottom with a fork. Line with parchment paper and fill with pie weights, or a bag of rice or dried beans.
Remove from oven and remove pie weights or beans and brush with egg white. Return to oven and bake another 10 minutes. Allow to cool slightly and carefully remove from the pans.
Pour the milk into a saucepan. Add the vanilla and bring to a boil.
In a medium bowl, beat the egg yolks in a bowl with the sugar. Then, with a whisk, incorporate the flour, whisking continuously. Stir in lemon juice and zest.
Once the milk begins to boil, remove it from the heat and slowly add the egg, sugar and flour mixture, whisking as you go. The resulting mixture should be soft and creamy.’
Transfer the mixture to the stove over medium heat. Stir continuously until the cream becomes dense and coats the back of a spoon (this could take 10-15 minutes and can be done a day ahead of time).
Once ready, Fill the shell with lemon pudding and allow to cool to room temperature before serving.
Tip: Make the pudding a day in advance to save time on the day of making the crostata.
Vary It! Use the Vanilla Cream Custard or chocolate variation from Chapter 8 to fill this crostata instead of the lemon cream.