Cream Pie with Cherries and Chocolate

Recently Raffaella has indicated ever so subtly that I have been neglecting her needs. My inattentiveness was not by design but things have been a bit busy lately. Breakfast is the only time that Raffaella really eats sweets and usually I have a cheesecake in the fridge and with café and hot milk she is happy. As a child she adored Crostate. Crostate are made with a shortbread base, jam, pastry cream, fruit and apricot gelatin on top to keep the fruit fresh. I have not made a Crostata since last year so I thought that might be a special treat.

Cherries are in season right now and sell for anywhere from 1 – 2 $ a pound. I had just picked up a 2 pound bag so I had them in house. I was preparing a Cauliflower pie, very similar to the Zucchini pie, and was already preparing piecrust. So if I substitute the pasta frolla with piecrust, make pastry cream, add fresh cherries and for a little extra chocolate Baker’s chips I would have a semi Crostata. I thought, I can do this with very little effort. Well it turned out really good and I thought it was worth publishing. Except for the time in the oven it took less than 20 minutes and Raffaella was very appreciative.


Ingredients:

For Pie Crust
1 cup all-purpose flour
½ cup butter
1 tsp. Grated lemon peel
3 tbs. Cold water

Crema Pasticcera made with 4 eggs

1 ½ cup pitted cherries
¼ dark chocolate chips or shavings (I think shavings will melt better)

Preparation:

Cut the butter into pieces. Place separately the water, the flour, and the butter in the freezer for 10 minutes.

Work fast. Cut the butter into the flour until the butter is reduced to pea sized pieces and completed covered with the flour. Add the water. Stir the dough together quickly with a fork and then roll into a ball with your hands.

Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for ½ hour.

Prepare the Crema Pasticcera.

Pit the Cherries.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Roll the dough and place in a pie pan. Pour in the Crema Pasticcera. Distribute the cherries evenly over the surface. Throw the chocolate chips on top and into the oven for 40 minutes.

Let cool on a rack. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.

Serve with an Italian White Dessert wine or Pinot Grigio.

Tags: Gourmet Foods Desserts Italian Pastries Italian Recipes Food and Wine Travel Italy