-
1
In a small saute pan over a medium flame, warm the olive oil and soften the onion, garlic, and orange zest for 5 minutes, permitting the mixture to take on some light color.
-
2
Transfer the onion, garlic, orange zest combination to a large bowl.
-
3
Add the mashed potatoes and the remaining ingredients, forming a well-amalgamated paste.
-
4
Cover the paste and set it aside while you make the crust.
-
5
In a large bowl, combine the flour, polenta, salt, and pecorino.
-
6
Using your fingertips or a pastry blender, cut the butter into the dry components until it resembles coarse crumbs.
-
7
Combine the egg with the cold wine and stir the liquids into the flour mixture, constructing a rough dough.
-
8
Turn it out onto a lightly floured work space and gently, swiftly, work it into a smooth dough.
-
9
Flatten the dough and cover it tightly in plastic wrap, covering the plastic wrap with a clean kitchen towel and leaving the dough to rest in the refrigerator for 1 hour or in the freezer for 20 minutes.
-
10
Over a lightly floured work space, roll out the dough into a free-form sort of circle of about 16 inches in diameter.
-
11
Transfer the pastry to a parchment-lined baking sheet.
-
12
The pastry will be too large to fit on the sheet but that will soon be remedied.
-
13
Place the potato filling in the center of the pastry, working it into a mound and leaving a 2-inch hem of pastry uncovered.
-
14
Now lift the pastry hem and fold it over, pleating it a bit, covering about 2 inches of the filling.
-
15
The less symmetric your form, the more homey and beautiful will be your crostata.
-
16
Cover the crostata with a sheet of plastic wrap and set it, on its parchment-lined tin, to chill again in the refrigerator for 20 minutes.
-
17
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
-
18
Bake the crostata for 25 to 30 minutes or until the crust is deeply golden and the potatoes all golden and crisp.
-
19
Permit the crostata a 5-minute rest on a cooling rack, transfer it to a cutting board and carry it to table, cutting it into fat wedges.
-
20
Present it as a first course, to be eaten warm between sips of good red wine.
