Sour cherries can be persnickety. First, they’re hard to find. In Los Angeles they seem to be available in most of the Armenian markets near Glendale for about two and a half weeks in June. However, don’t look for them in the produce aisle, go straight to the checkout counter. If you don’t see them ask. Sometimes they hide them. I guess they don’t want you to mistake them for sweet cherries (though, frankly, that would be hard to do – they cost twice as much). They’re also smaller and more “fluorescent”. Their diminutive size can make them hard to pit too. It takes a pretty persnickety cook with a lot of patience to prep a pound of these little buggers.
Once you get them in hand I’m sorry to say that their fussy nature continues because they’re not really great eaten out of hand. Still, in the right cook’s hand, they’re a sweet and sour seasonal marvel, and I always seek them out.
To be good, sour cherries need to be grown in the right environment and they can’t travel too far to market. This difficult dichotomy is why they’re so precious. They should be grown at high altitudes where they can get cool nighttime temperatures and plenty of daytime sunshine. Fortunately, California’s Leona Valley has just the right microclimate for sour cherries. Also, fortunately, the Leona Valley is only an hour and a half drive from many of those small family-owned Armenian markets I mentioned.
Pasta Frolla Tart with Sour Cherries
After getting my hands on a pound of sour cherries, I came home with the intention of making an Italian-style crostata inspired by Domenica Marchetti’s Instagram feed. Italian crostatas at their most traditional are jam-filled, lattice-topped tarts made with a sweet pastry crust known as pasta frolla. I’ve made them plenty of times. But I was intrigued by Marchetti’s version because I’d never seen them made in a fluted tart pan before. However, I have used her pasta frolla recipe for years and it seemed to me that the jammy nature of cooked sour cherries (per Ruth Reichl’s recipe) would be lovely in a Italian crostada. Pasta frolla is richer, silkier, and of course sweeter than the all-butter slightly salty French pastry crust I make by rote. In other words, a perfect partner to persnickety sour cherries.
So I pulled out my fluted tart pan and set my sights on a traditionally jammy Sour Cherry Crostata. However (and I should have known this) a pound of cherries only makes about 2 cups of prepped fruit. That’s not quite enough for a 9‑inch crostada, not nearly enough for a 9‑inch tart, and you can forget about a 9‑inch pie. I use 6 cups of fruit in my cherry pie.
I could have headed back to Glendale to pick up another pound (or five) of sour cherries. But at $10.99 a pound I winced at that option and tossed out the Reichl plan as I chopped up a pound of ripe apricots. I instantly decided to attempt a 9‑inch Sour Cherry and Apricot Tart with a crostada-style lattice top.
However, sour cherries aren’t the only persnickety characters in the kitchen. Pasta frolla is so soft that it can be challenging in warm weather. In the summer heat I was having trouble getting the thin lattice strips transferred to the top of the crostata. Sure, I could have rechilled them before constructing the crostata. However, in my rush to the end I opted for these much easier to handle squares of pasta frolla. If you squint your eyes I think you can still call it a lattice top. GREG
Ingredients
- all-purpose flour (as needed for rolling)
- 1 batch pasta frolla (see recipe)
- 1 pound sour cherries (pitted)
- 1 pound ripe apricots (pitted and chopped into 3/4‑inch chunks)
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon corn starch
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
Directions
Place a 9 or 10 x 1‑inch tart pan with a removable bottom on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
On a lightly floured surface using a lightly floured rolling pin, roll the larger of the pasta frolla discs into a 12-inch round, a generous 1/8‑inch thick. Carefully fold dough in half, and slide it onto the rolling pin. Transfer to the tart pan and unfold the dough, easing it gently into pan. Do not stretch the dough and allow the excess to drape over the edge. Transfer the pastry-lined tart pan still on its baking sheet to the refrigerator and chill until firm, about 20 minutes.
Line a cutting board that will fit on the shelf of your refrigerator with a piece of parchment. Lightly flour it. Using a lightly floured rolling pin roll the second pasta frolla disc to about an 11-inch round, a generous 1/8‑inch thick. Use a straight edge and a paring knife to cut the dough into at least sixteen 2‑inch squares. Move the entire cutting board to the refrigerator for at least 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, place the oven rack in the center position and preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Remove the pastry-lined tart pan and the pasta frolla squares from the refrigerator.
In a large bowl combine the pitted sour cherries, chopped apricot, sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Gently fold the mixture together until the sugar is distributed and the cornstarch is no longer white and clumpy. Scrape the mixture into the pastry-lined tart pan, pressing the fruit gently to fill the gaps, then place the pasta frolla squares over the fruit mixture in a random, patchwork pattern overhanging the edges as needed. Gently press the dough squares into place at the edge of the pan, then run your roller at an angle over the edge of the pan, trimming it flush with the top all the way around. Refrigerate uncovered for 20 minutes.
When ready to bake place the tart on its baking sheet to catch any juices that bubble over in the heated oven. Bake until crust is golden brown and the juices are bubbling; about 50 to 55 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool before serving.
If you make a 9‑inch crostata, you will have some leftover dough, which you can rewrap and freeze for future use, or roll out, cut into shapes and make cookies. Bake them at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes, or until lightly browned.
Ingredients
- 3 cup unbleached all-purpose flour (plus more for the work surface)
- 1 cup confectioner’s sugar
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- zest of 1 lemon (finely grated)
- zest of 1 orange (finely grated)
- 1 cup cold unsalted butter (cut into ½‑inch cubes)
- 1 large egg
- 2 large eggs yolks
Directions
Put the flour, sugar, salt, and lemon and orange zests in the work bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Pulse briefly to combine the ingredients. Distribute the butter around the bowl and pulse until the mixture is crumbly. Add the egg and egg yolks and process until the dough just begins to come together.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and gather it together. Knead it briefly and shape it into 2 discs (one slightly larger than the other). Wrap tightly in plastic and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or until well chilled (overnight is fine). Remove the dough from the refrigerator and let it sit for 30 to 45 minutes, or until it is just pliable enough to roll, but not too soft to work with.
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I can never get my hands on any fresh sour cherries, but at $10.99 a pound I’d be making do with just one pound! Your tart looks fabulous!
Love sour cherries! But I don’t see them that often in the stores, alas. Anyway, this looks wonderful — and such a neat dish. Thanks!
That is gorgeous!!! Well done!
I’m not sure I’ve ever seen sour cherries around here, just the typical sweet and bing cherries. I like how you used the apricot to sweeten it up.
We lost our cherry tree long ago and I still am meaning to replant one. In its absence I go to a farmer’s market and buy a 15lb container of pitted sour cherries so I can freeze and use them during the winter for cherry pies. It is not quite the season here in CO and so I am green with envy. Must try this version!
How can it be that I haven’t had these before? I adore cherries ~ I’m heading out to Glendale today!
I squinted my eyes and it’s perfect! Love sour cherries and you’re right — in the wrong hands they are not so tasty. Looks like you created a beautiful treat. Thanks for sharing!
Greg, So jealous you found tart cherries local! My family called them ‘pie cherries’, recipe Mary’s Cherry Pie on my blog. King Orchards ships them frozen when you really need a cherry pie.
~Bijouxs
Wow, Greg, your tart is stunning. Rustic and beautiful! And the combination of sour cherries and apricots is one of my favorites. You would think they would be too tart together, but in fact they make a great pair, don’t they. Apricots are hands-down my favorite summer fruit, but we don’t get many of them here in Virginia. And yes, that buttery dough can be a challenge to work with in warm weather, but it patches together nicely. Thank you for the kind shout-out, my friend.
If you think sour cherries are hard to find in Los Angeles, you should come to Tucson! We don’t even have Armenian markets here… When I lived in Maine, I used to make sour cherry jam each year along with any number of sour cherry pies and tarts. I sure do miss them!
What a delicious-looking pie! I love your top crust design. I have to say, though, that this is one of the first posts I’ve ever read that didn’t stab me through the heart with envy. Usually, you’re talking either about produce that you’re getting fresh that I won’t get fresh in my part of the country for months, or about unique and interesting produce that I may not find anywhere at all! Today, though, you’re talking about something that literally falls from the trees around here. I have a cottage on Michigan’s Leelanau Penninsula, which is nothing but cherry orchards from one end to the other.
Hungarians love sour cherries, in fact, we make a chilled sour cherry soup that is only slightly sweet, my Dutch Art History prof said it was like eating dessert for dinner when he came over one night. Hungarian desserts are not overly sweet either.
Your idea to combine them with the apricots is wonderful and I love the way you handled the pastry (lattice) top, very clever and creative!
This is where you use a small cookie cutter and leave more open space. I love apricots, still don’t think I’ve had sour cherries before. Hmmmm
I will totally be making this in a month after a cherry-picking sesh in Door County. Field trip? 🙂
OMG Sour Cherries! I am heading to Glendale now. Nothing screams summer more to this Midwest girl than sour cherries. Great idea pairing it with apricots. Looks gorgeous.
If you go call first to make sure they still have them. I got mine at Armen Market, 1101 W Glenoaks Blvd GREG