🇮🇹 Italian · Dessert
🥧 Crostata di Marmellata
Crostata di Marmellata
Italy's classic jam tart, a buttery shortcrust pastry filled generously with fruit preserve and topped with a simple lattice, a homely dessert found in nearly every Italian household.
Crostata is often the very first dessert Italian children learn to bake alongside a parent or grandparent, its forgiving pastry and simple lattice top making it an accessible, endlessly adaptable classic depending on whatever jam is on hand.
Ingredients
Equipment: Mixing bowl, Rolling pin, Tart pan, about 24cm
- 300 g (2¼ cups) 00 flour
- 150 g (⅔ cup) cold unsalted butter, cubed
- 120 g (⅔ cup) granulated sugar
- 2 egg yolks, plus 1 whole egg
- Zest of 1 lemon
- Pinch of salt
- 350 g (1¼ cups) fruit jam or preserve (such as apricot or sour cherry)
Method
- Combine the flour, cold butter, sugar, and salt, working quickly with your fingertips or a pastry cutter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- Add the egg yolks and lemon zest, bringing the dough together quickly without overworking it.
- Shape into a disc, wrap, and rest in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Roll out two-thirds of the dough and line a tart pan, trimming the edges.
- Spread the jam evenly over the base.
- Roll out the remaining dough and cut into strips, arranging them in a lattice pattern over the jam.
- Brush the lattice lightly with beaten egg.
- Bake for 25–30 minutes until the pastry is golden.
- Cool completely before slicing.
Chef Tips
- Keep the butter cold and handle the dough as little as possible for the most tender, flaky pastry.
- A good-quality, not overly sweet jam works best, as the pastry itself is already sweetened.
- This is a wonderfully forgiving dessert — an uneven lattice is entirely part of its homely charm.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Overworking the pastry dough, which develops gluten and results in a tough rather than tender crust.
- Using a very runny jam, which can make the tart difficult to slice cleanly.
- Slicing before the tart has fully cooled, when the jam filling is still too soft.
Nutrition (per serving)
Health Benefits
- A source of protein from the eggs, best enjoyed as an occasional homely treat.
Cultural Note
Crostata di marmellata is often the first dessert Italian children learn to bake, a simple, endlessly adaptable classic found in nearly every household across the country.
Storage & Serving
Storage: Store covered at room temperature for up to 4 days.
Reheating: Not applicable; served at room temperature.
Serve with: Espresso, A dusting of powdered sugar