For weeks I've been trying to recreate a huge favorite in our house - Scandinavian Rye Bread. I've been having a heck of a time with my San Francisco Sourdough Starter, and its making it difficult to achieve the exact bread I want. I think my starter has a bit of homesickness and is refusing to accept the London air and water (even though I'm filtering it!). Anyway, I've got heaps of rye flour that needs to be morphed into something edible, and not another inedible batch of Scandinavian Rye. It was the perfect excuse to try one of Kim Boyce's recipes from my new favorite cookbook, Good to the Grain. If your interested in creating things in the kitchen using wholegrain flours like rye, spelt, quinoa, barley, etc. this is the book for you.
I made one batch of Boyce's Rustic Rye Dough which made 12 individual crostatas or galettes, but will also make 2 larger 9-inch tarts. She suggested an Apricot+Boysenberry filling, but it isn't really apricot season yet so I used rhubarb and dressed it up with some fresh blackberries. I used Boyce's Rhubarb Hibiscus Compote for inspiration, using dark brown sugar, as she does, instead of white sugar, for a deeper flavor.
RHUBARB+BLACKBERRY COMPOTE
- 4 pounds rhubarb stalks
- 2 cups dark brown sugar
- 1 vanilla pod, split
- 2 pounds ripe blackberries
Rinse and trim ends of rhubarb stalks. Cut into 1-inch pieces at a diagonal. Reserve 2 stalks and cut them smaller - into 1/2-inch pieces at a diagonal. Put all the 1-inch pieces in a large, heavy-bottom pot. Add brown sugar and vanilla pod. Stir together, cover, and turn onto low. After ten minutes raise the heat to medium-low for another ten minutes, removing the cover and stirring occasionally. Continue to cook for another ten minutes or so, stirring constantly. At this point all the rhubarb stalks should have melted into a think jammy compote. Add the reserved smaller pieces of rhubarb. Cook for about 5 minutes, so the recently added rhubarb is soft, but so the pieces have not completely broken down. This is especially important if using the compote for the Rustic Rye Crostata. Add the blackberries and cook for about one minute. Leave on the stove, but turn off the heat. Let cool completely and then remove the vanilla pod. Put in a sieve in the fridge overnight to strain the excess liquid. The excess liquid can be saved and used as a sauce on vanilla ice cream or added to sparkling water for a spring cordial!
The blackberries add a wonderful color and is a delicious twist to the usual rhubarb+strawberry combination. Once the compote is strained you can spoon it into rolled-out Rustic Rye Dough. I would absolutely recommend brushing the tarts with an egg wash and cinnamon-sugar as Boyce suggests. Also, this dough would work well in a savory type tart. It is only a smidge sweet and could hold up to something like a tomato+feta tart.
I love this cookbook too! I've already made the Quinoa Cookies and Spice Muffins - both good. Your tart is lookin' good!
Posted by: Carlin | Wednesday, April 21, 2010 at 09:27 PM
Carlin - I was thinking about trying the quinoa cookies - esp since Boyce says they are very much like a peanut butter cookie, but I have never cooked with quinoa flour. Will definitely try it out soon.
Posted by: gastroanthropologist | Wednesday, April 21, 2010 at 09:32 PM
Waw!! What a rustic & tasty rye crostata this is!!
i so love your home made lovely jam!! Very tasty looking & so apart too!
MMMMMMM,...what's not to love???
Posted by: Sophie | Thursday, April 22, 2010 at 10:09 AM
I love the use of rye for these sweet crostata - I could just have this and a cup of tea for a perfect breakfast - cannot wait to give it a try. I've heard great things about the cookbook, cannot wait to check it out!
Posted by: OysterCulture | Thursday, April 22, 2010 at 08:03 PM
I love this recipe and I love this book. I don't have it yet, but thanks to you, I will shortly. Your crostata looks beautifully rustic. The combination of blackberries and rhubarb is sounds fantastic.
Posted by: lisa | Thursday, April 22, 2010 at 08:16 PM
Oh, cool! I just got rhubarb and blackberries today and would love to make this gorgeous crostata! Thanks for a terrific idea!
Posted by: 5 Star Foodie | Friday, April 23, 2010 at 04:04 AM
I got this cookbook a few weeks ago and it is fantastic. I can't wait to make more from it and I've had these on my mind. My parents brought me a bunch of frozen raspberries to clear out their freezer so I'm thinking this would be great. Yours looks delicious!
Posted by: Lori | Friday, April 23, 2010 at 04:22 PM
I'm definitely missing sourdough in Paris, it just doesn't taste the same here!
Posted by: Cynthia | Wednesday, April 28, 2010 at 04:39 PM
Yum! Those blackberries are jumping out of the screen. Nicely done on the tart!
Posted by: cheffresco | Thursday, April 29, 2010 at 10:55 PM
Rhubarb I have and now blackberries I clearly need to get!
Posted by: Daily Spud | Saturday, May 01, 2010 at 11:47 PM
Your pictures are making me drool.. yummy!!
Posted by: Alethea | Tuesday, May 04, 2010 at 11:48 AM
oh wow - this looks awesome! I love your pictures by the way!
Posted by: josie | Monday, May 10, 2010 at 01:11 PM
I've just made the dough and it's quite moist so I only used half the recommended water - is our butter more greasy? it's 82%. Did anyone else have this problem? Love the book.. have tried 6 or 7 recipes and it's really fab..
Posted by: Avril | Saturday, July 07, 2012 at 03:58 PM