This is, perhaps, my absolute favourite tea-time treat! I grew up in Italy, where crostata de marmellata, less sonorously translated as “jam tart” is fairly standard fare. But I never found it especially delicious until I vacationed on Isola del Giglio where it was served in the breakfast buffet! I have since wheedled the recipe from the lovely proprietor.
Raspberry crostata on a black Eva plate. Available at MMD's Etsy shop.
A classic Italian crostata is usually made with blackberry or apricot jam, I like to use different jams, sometimes I make a crostata with 2 or 3 flavors and divide them with crust. It makes a colourful crostata and I also have the excuse to try several slices so that I can taste each flavor. Today's crostata was made with raspberry jam only because that was all I had at home, but delightful anyway.
INGREDIENTS:
250 g. flour (1/3 spelt flour, 2/3 whole wheat flour)
I use this when I have spelt flour in house, it is acceptable to substitute other flours.
160 g. melted butter
80 g. sugar
2 egg yolks
jam, ideally several flavours in different colours like raspberry, blackberry, and apricot.
Mix the flour, butter, sugar and egg yolks together with a fork, pat into a ball, and refrigerate for 30 minutes before rolling out the dough.
I have a new cake pan with perforated holes that I bought at Lakeland that a baking revelation for crispy pie and tart crusts. My crostata was wonderful before, now it is sublime.
Place the dough in a rounded pie pan with about 2/3” rim on the edges. Make sure you save some extra dough for the top! If you have a serrated pastry cutter, it makes nice crinkly edges. Fill the pastry with a layer of jam, I usually use a full jar. If you are like me, you will use several jams, just divide the pan into thirds. My favorites are:
1/3 apricot, 1/3 raspberry, 1/3 blueberry
Cut the remaining dough into strips and place them on top. In Italy the crostate are often rectangular in shape and the strips are placed in a grid. I make mine go through the center of the round piepan and separate the jams.
Bake for 40-45 minutes in a preheated oven at 180 degrees C.
Serve warm or at room temperature with tea.
