Peaches and Cream Crostata

Peaches and Cream Crostata

If strawberries and cream at the beginning of the week wasn't enough, how about another classic combination; Peaches and Cream Crostata. When I made this the first time the kids (even the pickiest!) told me, "This is the best thing I've ever eaten!" I have to agree, it's mighty fine.

Peaches and Cream Crostata
Printable Recipe
Makes 1 crostata that serves 8
Hands-On Time: 15 minutes
Ready In: 1 hour

Dough:

1 cup flour
1 T sugar
1/4 t salt
1 stick butter - diced
2 - 3 T ice water

Stir flour, sugar and salt together well. Add butter and rub together until crumbly. Add water 1 Tablespoon at a time until dough forms a firm ball. Flatten and chill between waxed paper while prepping fruit.

Filling:

3 large peaches peeled and sliced thinly - about 2 cups
Sugar to taste if peaches are not sweet (I often don't need any)
8 ounces cream cheese
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg

Prepared caramel sauce to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F

1. Roll dough on a well-floured surface into a 12-inch circle.
2. Place dough onto a baking sheet sprayed with vegetable oil (I use a silicone mat)
3. Combine cream cheese and sugar and mix until smooth. Add egg and vanilla.
4. Spread cream cheese mixture into the center of the dough leaving a 2-inch outside edge.
5. Top cream cheese with sliced peaches.
6. Fold dough over the top just at the edge leaving a circle of fruit in the center about 5-
inches in diameter. Don't worry about how it looks, the more rustic, the better!
7. Bake for 45 minutes or until center is set and edges begin to brown lightly.
8. Take out and let cool on pan completely. Top with as much caramel sauce as you like.

Georgia Cheesecake Pie

Georgia Cheesecake Pie

Somewhere about 20 years ago I had a bunch of very ripe peaches that needed to be used up and I wasn't sure what to do with them. Thinking along the lines of peaches and cream that my Grandma Foster served, I found them to be too ripe for that, but perfect to put into the bottom of a cheesecake.

I added a regular pie crust and dubbed it 'Georgia Cheesecake Pie'. We've loved it ever since. This recipe first appeared on my Family Favorites page and I've revamped it since then to use egg whites and more cream cheese. The egg whites make the cheesecake nice and fluffy. Please don't use canned peaches, part of the flavor of this comes from the fresh peaches cooking as the pie bakes and infusing the cheesecake layer with peachy goodness.


Georgia Cheesecake Pie
Serves 8
Printable Recipe

1 9-inch single crust pie crust-unbaked
5 large very-ripe peaches, pitted and sliced thinly - peeling is optional
1 pound cream cheese - softened
1 c granulated sugar
3 egg whites
1 t. vanilla
2 T. flour

Flour bottom of unbaked pie crust with 2T. flour.
Add peaches to crust.
Mix remaining ingredients and pour over peaches.
Bake at 350 degrees F until top is set and partially browned ~ about 35 min.
This is absolutely delicious served warm or cold.

Sunday Dinner

This is from one of those old cookbooks I wrote about before. The first time I had it was at grandma's while visiting. Even my picky husband loved it and I've been making it ever since. The gravy option is mine since he doesn't like cream soups.

Poor Man's Steak

2lbs. ground beef (round, sirloin or 90% lean)
2c. crushed saltines
2c. milk
salt and pepper to taste
chopped onion optional
1 can cream of mushroom soup
or
1 can beef gravy

Mix beef, saltines, seasonings, milk and onions well.
Press into a 9x13 pan.
Refrigerate overnight or for 4-6 hours.
Cut into squares-roll each in flour and brown in oil.
Replace in pan and pour soup and 1 can water or gravy
and 1 can water over all.

Bake 350 degrees for 1 to 1 1/2 hrs.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Perfectly Boiled Potatoes
From: Everything on a Waffle by Polly Horvath
If you can find this book it's worth the read. Quirky little thing, really cute and different.

The most important thing about making perfectly boiled
potatoes is to start with a dozen uniform red potatoes.
So go to your greengrocer or wherever you get your
potatoes and don't buy a bag of them, hunt through the
loose, piled-up potatoes until you find a dozen that are
medium-sized and all almost exactly alike. Don't get any
with scabs or strange growths or that look like they have
a nose. Take them home and peel them. Put enough water
in a large pot to cover your potatoes. Cook for forty
minutes, putting in more water if it boils out. Drain
the potatoes and put them back in the pot. Put the pot
back on the burner and shake it a bit so the potatoes
dry over the heat. Then they are done. Now what you do
with them is a matter of taste. Some people like sour
cream, some like butter and parsley. Some people like
ketchup or cheese. I like mustard. But Miss Bowzer says
it is nobody's business but your own what you do with
your potatoes.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Garlic Snap Peas

1/2 pound sugar snap peas
1 T butter
1 T olive oil
1 clove garlic minced
salt
freshly ground black pepper

Bring a medium-size pan of water to the boil. Snap the ends from the peas and pull the strings.

When the water comes to a boil, add the peas and time 2 to 3 minutes, until just tender. Drain in a colander and run cold water over the peas until cooled.

Heat the butter and oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and saute 1 minute, until soft and fragrant. Put the peas into the pan and heat through, stirring often. Stir in the coarse salt, heating for 30 seconds. Season with pepper and serve.

Serves 4.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This was one of those terrific experiments turned family favorite. Like peaches and cream, only better!

Georgia Cheesecake Pie
Printable Recipe

1 single crust pie crust-unbaked
2c. peeled and thinly sliced peaches
1-8oz. pkg. cream cheese
1/2c. sugar
1 egg
1t. vanilla
2T. flour

Flour bottom of unbaked pie crust with 2T. flour.
Add peaches to crust.
Mix remaining ingredients and pour over peaches.
Bake 375 until top is set and partially browned~ about
35 min.