Crostate is the Italian big brother to the English pickled. As a popular breakfast to a little strong Coffee it satisfies both the craving for sweet breakfast jams and the fine buttery pleasure that anyone who likes toast with butter and jam or croissant with jam (that is, almost everyone) grabs after waking up as soon as they sip their first sip of coffee.
Crostats are popular throughout Italy, including Sardinia.
As a typical and often homemade dolce the tart is visually quite rustic and not a baking project you spend more time on than is absolutely necessary. Of dough base, the crosta, in fact the “crust” after which it is named, can be of any thickness to some degree. My friend’s nun, known for her irritability and impatience when cooking (but also for her talent), made her dough about an inch thick because she liked it that way. With her impatient hands, always scratched by cutting roses, she pressed the dough roughly into the mold instead of gently rolling it out. So take it easy, it’s your crostata after all.
Crostata is usually made with a simple pasta frollaa sweet one shortcrust, did. Some people add a teaspoon of baking powder to the batter, which makes the crostata even more cake-like, but I prefer it without. Since this is a simple, down-to-earth affair, I think it is consistent whether the dough also matches it. And like my childhood jams, a crostata is so uncomplicated and sure to be good that you can bake it wonderfully with children.
ingredients (12 people)
500
G
Wheat flour Tipo 00 (alternatively type 405)
1
whole eggs plus 1 egg yolk
grated peel of 1 lemon (organic)
1
Glass
(280g) of your favorite jam
1
Egg whites, whipped, for brushing
- Process the flour with icing sugar, butter and salt in the food processor into fine crumbs. Add the whole egg, egg yolk and lemon zest and process briefly until everything is gathered into a dough.
- Take out of the bowl and shape the dough into two equal slices. Wrap each in cling film and cool. After about 30 minutes, the dough can be further processed.
- Roll out the dough to a thickness of 3-4 mm and line a metal pie tin with a lifting base or a ceramic quiche tin (see right side) with it. You can also just press the dough in. Cut off excess dough and use it for a pastry grid. Depending on the room temperature, the work surface and the rolling pin should also be sprinkled with flour if the dough becomes sticky.
- Put the dough in the mold in the fridge, then roll out excess dough on baking paper and cut into strips with a knife or a pastry wheel. Depending on how hot the dough gets, it should be put in the fridge again from time to time.
- When the bottom has cooled (after about 10 minutes), spread the jam over. Place the lattice strips on top and press down on the edge of the dough. Brush the strips with egg white, then put the dish back in the fridge to rest until the oven is preheated.
- Preheat the oven to 190 ° C and bake the crostata for 20-25 minutes until golden brown.
Tips
This is one of the few puff pastry bases that does not need blind baking, which speaks for itself. And since the jam is not too runny, the base stays nice and dry without getting soft.
I usually cook this crostata in a simple, old-fashioned ceramic mold that it stays in after frying and can be cut into. So you do not even have to worry about lifting it out.
© DK Verlag
La Vita è Dolce. Cantuccini, Cannoli & Cassata – the world of Italian desserts.
Letitia Clark
DK publishing house
272 pages
29.95 euros