Thanksgiving Made Easy

This Thanksgiving Chef Marisa, owner of Catalano's Delicatessen, is here to help you prepare for the holidays. Once a month she hosts a cooking class and this month one of our own was able to attend and get the full experience. The theme was "Fall Bounty" and one of our favorite recipes is this mouth-watering Apple Crostada with Salted Caramel Sauce. Just in time to try as a new desert for Thanksgiving! We have featured the recipe below so let us know if you try it out and what you think! Also -- see below the recipe for a very special Catalano's Thanksgiving offer!

Apple Crostada with Salted Caramel Sauce

Serves 4

For the crust:

8 tablespoons butter, diced

2 cups flour

½ teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons sugar

1 egg yolk

½ cup sour cream

In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the butter, flour, sugar and salt. Using the paddle attachment, beat on low speed until it reaches a sandy consistency.

Whisk the yolk and sour cream together and add to the bowl, continue to beat until a dough forms. Remove it from the bowl and paddle onto a floured surface. Bring together into a disk, wrap with plastic wrap and chill for 1 hour.

Roll the dough out into a large, evenly thick disc. Starting at one end of the disc, roll the dough up onto the rolling pin and then roll out again onto a parchment lined sheet tray.

For the filling:

5 apples, cored, cut in ½ -inch thick slices

(you can replace apples with pears, berries, walnuts, raisins, pine nuts etc..)

½ cup sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

½ teaspoon allspice

½ teaspoon nutmeg

2 tablespoons heavy cream

Natural sugar

2 tablespoons butter

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Combine the apples, sugar and spices in a mixing bowl and toss well to coat. Pour the filling into the center of the rolled out dough. Fold the edges of dough up around the filling leaving the center open. Using a pastry brush, brush the edge of the crostada with cream and then sprinkle with natural sugar. Dot the center with butter.

Bake for 30 minutes, until the crust is golden brown and the apples are softened. Remove and cool before slicing.

For the sauce:

1 cup sugar

6 tablespoons butter

½ cup heavy cream

Coarse sea salt

Combine the sugar and butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook, whisking continuously, until the mixture begins to turn golden brown. Add the cream while whisking vigorously until smooth. Serve poured over a slice of crostada with the sea salt sprinkled on top for garnish.

Also Catalano's wants to make your Thanksgiving meal a very special and non-stressful event. Be sure to check their website: www.catalanosdelicatessen.com/thanksgiving-dinner/. If you aren't so savvy in the kitchen, you can relax because Catalano's wants to help cook dinner FOR YOU!!

A very happy Thanksgiving to all of you out there, may your travels be safe and your memories be merry. Don't forget to give thanks for all of the wonderful things in your life! Happy Thanksgiving Lynchburg!

Lynch's Landing