Classic Italian Crostata with Jam and Crumbly Shortcrust
The classic Italian crostata with crumbly shortcrust pastry and jam: the traditional breakfast bake, simple to make and always perfect.
Want a crostata with genuinely crumbly shortcrust, the kind that melts in your mouth and doesn’t go hard the next day? Then follow this recipe: it’s the classic version, the timeless breakfast bake.
The crostata is one of the most loved desserts in Italian tradition, made of just two elements: a crumbly, fragrant shortcrust pastry and a heart of jam. It’s simple, but the result depends entirely on how you handle the pastry.
It has at least three real advantages: it uses ingredients you always have in the pantry, it’s perfect for breakfast and snacks, and it keeps for days while staying good, in fact the pastry develops more flavor.
The most important tip is about the pastry: use cold butter and work the dough as little as possible. If you warm it too much with your hands or knead it for long, the pastry turns hard instead of crumbly. And always chill it before rolling.
Let the crostata cool completely before cutting: while warm, the pastry is fragile and the jam too runny. A little patience and you’ll get clean, perfect slices.
Ready? Let’s make the crostata.
Base preparations used
To make this recipe
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Digital kitchen scale
In leavened recipes and baked goods, it lets you accurately weigh flour, liquids, and yeast.
Steps
- In a bowl, mix the flour with the sugar, salt, and lemon zest. Add the cold cubed butter and rub it in with your fingertips until you have a sandy mixture.
- Add the whole egg and the yolk, then knead quickly, just enough to form a smooth dough. Wrap it in plastic and chill for 30 minutes.
- Roll out two-thirds of the pastry on a floured surface to about half a centimeter thick and line a buttered, floured tin. Trim the edges.
- Spread the jam evenly over the base. Roll out the remaining pastry, cut it into strips, and arrange them in a lattice over the top.
- Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C (350°F) for about 35 minutes, until the pastry is golden. Let it cool completely before slicing.
- Once cool, slice and serve: the crostata keeps for several days in a tin.
Helpful tips
Use cold butter and work the pastry as little as possible: that's the secret to a crumbly, not tough, base.
Chilling makes the pastry easier to roll and helps it keep its shape while baking.
Let the crostata cool before cutting: while warm, the pastry is fragile and the jam too runny.
Vary the jam to taste: apricot, mixed berry, cherry, or even a hazelnut spread.
Average nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 320 kcal
- Carbohydrates
- 48.0 g
- Sugars
- 24.0 g
- Protein
- 5.0 g
- Fat
- 12.0 g
- Saturated fat
- 7.0 g
- Fiber
- 1.0 g
- Sodium
- 90 mg
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