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This Elderberry Wine-Poached Pear Crostata is a new recipe I tried this summer that we really loved. Honestly, I thought it was amazing. Decadent enough to include as the finale for the finest Italian meal.

(Post modified with new photos on 10/28/22.)

I mentioned earlier how we received boxes of fresh fruit and vegetables due to the Covid-19 Virus. Hundreds of produce boxes were given out to members of our little community all summer. Which, in itself, was really awesome.

Here's a new recipe I tried this summer that we really loved. Honestly, I thought it was amazing. Decadent enough for the finest Italian meal.

What was also really great about this distribution, was that we had the chance to try fresh produce that I normally wouldn’t purchase at the store. Purple Plums, from which I made plum chutney, bags of oranges for freshly squeezed orange juice, and also these really delicious Red Anjou Pears.

I’m honestly not much of a fruit person. I buy a little, but I’m never very enthusiastic or ambitious about it. You know how it goes. The same old, same old stuff ends up in my shopping basket. Bananas. Blueberries. Strawberries. Apples.

So, when these sweet little red pears (really, they looked like purple pears) ended up in my fridge, I knew I had to do something special with them. I immediately considered poaching them. Perhaps in wine? And serving them as poached pears with freshly whipped cream. See my recipe for Elderberry Wine-Poached Pears with Chantilly Cream Here.

Or maybe serve them in a tart? A Galette? Or a Crostata?

What is a Galette, a Crostata, and a Slab Pie?

Have you ever wondered about the differences between a Galette, a Crostata, and a Tart?

Very little, actually. They are each rustic open-faced fruit desserts, that fold the dough up over the edges of the fruit to form a shell. Mostly the differences are about where the recipe originates. The French call these rustic tarts Galettes, while the Italians call them a Crostata. I have a feeling that folks in my part of the United States probably lean toward rustic tarts or slab pies.

However, since, I really enjoy serving Italian dinners to my family, I decided this recipe would be a Crostata! That wasn’t a hard decision.

Ingredients for Elderberry Wine-Poached Pear Crostata

(See the full recipe at the bottom of this post.)

sweet elderberry wine
granulated sugar
orange peel
cinnamon stick
cloves
Anjou Pears
All-Purpose Flour
Salt
Vegetable Shortening
Water
Whole Milk
Decorating Sugar

A Note About Elderberry Wine

For this recipe, I happened to have some sweet elderberry wine, so I decided to take a chance and see how it turned out in the recipe. It was fabulous! The extra flavor that the elderberries gave to this dish really pushed it into a top category for desserts. You know, like what you might try at a really fine restaurant.

Sweet wines are not something I normally have on hand, so the second time I made this dessert, I used a dry red wine and added more sugar (a total of maybe 10 tablespoons). This too, worked well, although it didn’t quite have that “amazing wow” factor.

All-in-all, if you’re going for a dessert that will leave your guests with such satisfaction they are speechless, buy some sweet or semi-sweet elderberry wine. The brand I tried was from Wyldewood Cellars, from here in Kansas.

Instructions for Making This Recipe

Begin by gathering the ingredients. Prepare the pears by coring and slicing them. (You may peel the pears or leave the skin on, your choice.) Cut off a large strip of peel from a fresh orange.

Poach the Pears

Place the elderberry wine, granulated sugar, orange peel, cinnamon stick, and cloves in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil, and continue to boil for five minutes.

Add the sliced pears and make sure they are covered by the wine. Cover with a lid and reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer for 15 minutes. Remove the pears (and the orange peel, cinnamon stick, and cloves) and place in a bowl or plate to cool.

Continue to simmer the sauce for another 10-12 minutes until the wine has reduced to a thickened sauce. Allow to cool.

Prepare the Crust

To make the crust, I simply used my basic pie dough recipe and cut it in half for a single crust. To do that, combine flour and salt in a medium bowl. Using a blending fork, cut in shortening until small crumbs form. Add water in two parts until dough forms a ball. Gently knead 3-4 times until the dough is smooth.

On a floured work surface, roll the dough out into a 13-inch circle. Transfer dough to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.

Arrange the pear slices on the dough, (being as decorative as you desire) beginning in the center and working outward, leaving a 2-inch border of dough. Pour the reduced wine sauce over the pears. Fold the dough edges up and over the pears. The center should remain open.

With your fingers, brush 1-2 tablespoons of milk over the top crust. Sprinkle with decorating sugar.

Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven until crust has browned, about 25-30 minutes. Allow to cool.

To serve, cut Crustata into 8-10 slices. Garnish with a dollop of fresh whipped cream. This recipe will serve 8-10 people.

See more Desserts Here. See more Italian Dishes Here.

Elderberry Wine-Poached Pear Crostata

This rustic dessert will make your guests give a sigh of content. It's that good.

Prep Time 25

Cook Time 1 5

Total Time 1 30

Serving Size 10

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Equipment

Ingredients

3 cups elderberry wine (sweet or semi-sweet)
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 strip orange peel
1 piece cinnamon stick
6 whole cloves
4 medium Red Anjou Pears

Pastry

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup vegetable shortening (+ 2 tablespoons )
1/4 cup cold water
2 tablespoons whole milk
4 teaspoons Decorating Sugar