Pear Crostata
PHOTO AT LEFT
ACTIVE 45 MIN; TOTAL 10 HR 30 MIN
SERVES 10
Firm pears are the key to this impressive
dessert; look for a thin layer of green
under the skin as you peel them.
11 /^3 cups all-purpose flour (about 5^3 /^4
oz.)
11 / 4 tsp. kosher salt, divided
(^1) / (^2) cup unsalted butter (4 oz.), chilled
and cut into^1 / 2 -inch pieces, divided
1 large egg
1 Tbsp. dry marsala wine
(^3) / 4 cup plus 1 Tbsp. light brown sugar,
divided
2 Tbsp. ice water
2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
(^3) / 4 tsp. ground cinnamon
(^3) / 4 tsp. ground ginger
33 / 4 lb. firm Bosc pears (about 7 large
pears), peeled, cored, and
quartered
- Combine flour and 1 teaspoon salt in a
medium bowl. Using your fingers, incor-
porate 6 tablespoons butter pieces into
flour mixture until mixture resembles
small peas. Whisk together egg, marsala,
and 1 tablespoon brown sugar in a small
bowl. Add egg mixture to flour mixture;
stir with a fork until incorporated. Stir in 1
tablespoon ice water, adding remaining 1
tablespoon ice water if needed, 1 tea-
spoon at a time, until a shaggy dough
forms. Shape dough into a disk; wrap
tightly in plastic wrap, and chill at least 1
hour or up to 8 hours. - Place remaining^3 / 4 cup brown sugar in a
12-inch ovenproof sauté pan. Cook over
medium, stirring occasionally with a
wooden spoon, until melted and smooth,
about 6 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-
low, and stir in lemon juice, cinnamon, gin-
ger, remaining 2 tablespoons butter, and
remaining^1 / 4 teaspoon salt until well com-
bined. Add pears; cook, stirring and bast-
ing occasionally, until pears are softened
and liquid is syrupy, 20 to 30 minutes.
Remove from heat; let cool slightly, about
30 minutes. - Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350°F. On a
lightly floured surface, roll dough into a
12-inch (about^1 / 4 -inch-thick) circle, trim-
ming edges if needed. Chill 30 minutes. - Carefully arrange pears, outsides of
wedges facing down and slightly overlap-
ping, in concentric circles in sauté pan.
Top with dough, tucking edges in around
pears. Cut 5 slits in dough to allow steam
to escape. Bake in preheated oven until
top is golden brown, 35 to 40 minutes.
Cool in pan on a wire rack 10 minutes.
Carefully invert onto a rimmed plate.
Serve warm or at room temperature.
WINE Lightly sweet Moscato: 2017
Cascinetta Vietti Moscato d’AstiStewed Chicken Legs and
Thighs with Fresh Herbs and
Olives
PHOTO P. 85
ACTIVE 40 MIN; TOTAL 7 HR 55 MIN
SERVES 4Castelvetrano olives and capers team up
to deliver a salty, briny finish to this mel-
low chicken dish. Shop your grocery
store’s olive bar for the best selection, and
have some good bread on hand for sop-
ping up the sauce. Don’t be daunted by
the prep time that goes into this recipe:
Try making the marinade the night before,
then add the chicken the following morn-
ing for a main course that can be cooked
in only 40 minutes that night.BRINE
1 Tbsp. coriander seeds
1 tsp. fennel seeds
2 cups water
1 small (8-oz.) white onion, thinly
sliced (about 1^1 / 2 cups)
1 medium garlic head, cloves
smashed (about^1 /^2 cup)
3 Tbsp. kosher salt
1 lb. ice
CHICKEN
4 skin-on chicken drumsticks
4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
1 Tbsp. kosher salt(^1) / 4 cup olive oil, divided
(^1) / 2 cup dry white wine, divided
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced (about 2
Tbsp.)
6 anchovy fillets, chopped (about 1
Tbsp.)
2 small white onions (about 1 lb.),
quartered, root bottoms attached
4 thyme sprigs
6 medium pitted Castelvetrano
olives, chopped (about^1 / 4 cup)
1 Tbsp. drained nonpareil capers
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh flat-leaf
parsley
2 Tbsp. torn fresh basil
- Make the brine: Combine coriander
seeds and fennel seeds in a small skillet.
Cook over medium-high, stirring often,
until toasted and fragrant, about 1 minute
and 30 seconds. Transfer seeds to a large
pot. Add 2 cups water, onion, garlic, and
salt. Bring to a boil over high; reduce heat
to medium-low, and simmer until flavors
meld, about 15 minutes. Remove from
heat, and add ice. Let stand until ice is
melted and brine has cooled completely,
about 30 minutes.- Make the chicken: Place chicken
drumsticks and thighs in brine. Cover and
chill at least 6 hours or up to 12 hours.
Remove chicken from brine, and transfer
to a paper towel–lined baking sheet; dis-
card brine. Pat chicken dry, and sprinkle
with salt. - Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large
(5-quart) Dutch oven over medium-high.
Add 4 pieces of chicken, and cook, turn-
ing occasionally, until browned and fat is
rendered, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a
plate, and repeat with remaining 4
chicken pieces. Return all browned
chicken to Dutch oven, and arrange in a
single layer. Add^1 / 4 cup wine, garlic, and
anchovies. Scatter onions over chicken.
Cook until wine has mostly evaporated, 2
to 3 minutes, shaking Dutch oven occa-
sionally to ensure chicken isn’t sticking.
Add thyme sprigs and remaining^1 / 4 cup
wine. Cover and reduce heat to medium-
low. Cook until chicken is tender and an
instant-read thermometer inserted in
thickest portion registers 165°F, 30 to 40
minutes. - Remove chicken from heat, and top
with olives, capers, and remaining 2
tablespoons olive oil. Cover and let stand
5 minutes. Place 1 drumstick and 1 thigh
on each serving plate. Drizzle chicken
with pan juices, and sprinkle with parsley
and basil.
WINE Nutty, citrusy Tuscan white: 2017 Al
Podere di Rosa Chiesino Bianco
APRIL 2019 89
The author (middle) among the vines at
Cantina del Barone in Campania.