Torta di Frutta

With Fortunato Conte

It is very traditional in Italy to serve fresh fruit for dessert, and the Torta di Frutta, loosely translated as Fruit Tart or in some cases Fresh Fruit Tart, is one way of serving fruit dessert in the form of a delicious pastry.

We have all seen these shiny and delicious looking desserts all covered with fresh fruit in Italian pastry shop windows and wondered how they were made. The fruit does not seem like it is real but it is. The main part of the recipe is the Pasta Frolla pie crust and the Zabaglione, a very popular pastry cream used in Italian desserts. A Zabaglione is typically a very light custard, which has been whipped to incorporate a large amount of air. In this particular recipe the Chef, Fortunato Conte, makes a heavier version that goes well with all of the fresh sliced fruit.

Here is the secret to the shiny fruit. The tart is finished by topping it with a glaze made of equal amounts sugar, water and corn syrup. The glaze should be put on the tart by drizzling with a brush after it has been refrigerated and shortly before serving.

Ingredients

For Pastry Cream Recipe
1 quart whole milk
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
3 egg yolks

For Pasta Frolla (Pie Crust) (makes enough for 2 cakes)
1 grated orange zest
2 cups granulated sugar
2 cups butter at room temperature
1 teaspoon baking powder
1tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon pure vanilla
7 whole eggs
2 egg yolks
7 cups all purpose flour

Assorted fresh fruit slices such as melons, kiwis, strawberries, plums, blackberries, etc.

For Glaze:
Water
Corn syrup
Sugar

All in equal amounts

Instructions

For Pastry Cream Recipe
1. Add one cup of the warm milk and sugar to the mixing bowl and slowly whip up the flour, sugar and egg yolks making a thick zabaglione (also spelled zabaione). Note: A zabaglione is typically a very light custard, which has been whipped to incorporate a large amount of air.
2. Let mix for about 2 minutes ,add to the boiling milk until the pastry cream thickens ,let it boil for about 20 seconds and then shut off the heat.
3. Place into a plastic container and cover with plastic wrap. Leave it out side for one hour and then refrigerate for 24 hours.

For Pasta Frolla (Pie Crust):
1. Zest one orange and surround the zest with the flower on a table, preferably wooden, creating a well.
2. Add other ingredients onto center of the well and begin to mix by hand.
3. Once the mixture in the well has become liquefied, begin to gradually mix in the flour until you have a sticky dough.
4. Form the dough into a thick log, wrap very tightly in plastic and refrigerate. Do not over mix and refrigerate 2 to 3 hours before using. (Note: When the pasta frolla comes out of the refrigerator, it will be hard to work with. Cut into 3 or 4 pieces and leave it at room temperature for at least 10 minutes, then start working the dough a little until you feel that is completely workable.
5. After refrigerated and when ready to bake with the filling, roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface so that the edges extend at least 2 inches beyond the perimeter of a 12-inch baking pan.
6. Fit the dough snugly around the pan and slice excess off the top, reserving the excess dough to make the strips for the top of the cake.

For Glaze:
1. Boil water, corn syrup and sugar in a sauce pan until well dissolved.

Add fruit slices as desired. Glaze fruit by dripping it on top with a brush shortly before serving.

Recipe courtesy of Fortunato Conte, Pastry Chef, Restaurant Dante and Il Casale, 2011.

Fortunato was born in Salerno Italy, just 30 minutes south of Naples. He began working as a baker In1992 for the Pasticceria Pantaleone, one of the oldest Pastry Shoppes in Italy. (A pasticceria is a cake shop, where they have small tables, espresso coffee, tea and freshly baked pastry.) After one year he decided to move on and work for several other pasticcerie in his home town, mastering all of the traditional and regional desserts, including savory items such as filled canastas, focaccia breads, and canapés.

Fortunato went to work for three months in the town of Courmayeur, Northern Italy, as an assistant pastry chef for the Grand Hotel Royal and Golf. It was here, working with master baker Paul Castriscer from Switzerland, where Fortunato realized that there was much more to know about desserts than just regional and classic pastries.

In 1999 he came to Boston and began his adventure working at Il Panino at Franklin Street for Frank De Pasquale. He then managed Biscotti bakery in the North End of Boston for about nine months. In 2001 he went to work for Modern Pastry Shoppe, also in the North End, and remained there until 2008. Fortunato continued his study of pastry baking as a student of the World Pastry Forum in Nashville, TN. He also took several classes with world pastry champions. He continued studying with the New England French master baker at the Cambridge School of Culinary Arts.

Fortunato now makes desserts for two well regarded Italian restaurants in the Boston area, Il Casale in Belmont and Dante’s in Cambridge. Working with a Chef/Owner like Dante De Magistris forces him to improve in order to meet the demand for high-quality Italian desserts.