Strawberry Crostata
This Strawberry Crostata is a typical Italian breakfast and dessert favourite.
Crisp and tender pastry filled with fruity jam and accompanied by a milky coffee or espresso is a match made in heaven. All that’s needed is a view over the Italian countryside!
What is crostata dough?
This Strawberry Crostata recipe uses a wonderful Italian pastry dough called pasta frolla – an Italian shortcrust pastry. Traditionally pasta frolla has a flour:butter:sugar ratio of 2:1:1. While slightly off that particular ratio, I find this crostata dough recipe works well. Pasta frolla is easy to roll and work with. It can be made the day before and stored overnight in the refrigerator or even frozen for 3 months. Use it for all crostate (plural of crostata), tarts and pies. This crostata dough also makes really nice, plain cookies. As with any pastry dough, there are a few tips to remember-
- For results like mine – use pastry flour which has a low protein content.
- Don’t overwork the dough or it will be tough but conversely under worked dough won’t bake evenly
- Be sure to chill the crostata dough thoroughly before rolling
- Flour the work surface and the rolling pin – not the dough
I want you to be aware that the measurements of this crostata dough recipe has been converted for your convenience from metric. If you have metric scales it is best to use those measurements.
This Strawberry Crostata recipe.
Because here in Queensland we are in the middle of strawberry season, I have chosen to make this crostata with strawberry jam. Here I use my homemade strawberry jam recipe, but it doesn’t have to be. However, if you go with a store bought jam, please check the percentage of fruit as compared to sugar. You really want to choose a jam with a high fruit content.
Occasionally, I will also add a layer of fresh sliced strawberries over the jam and before the pastry lattice. While the fresh strawberries taste amazing, they will ooze liquid and soften the crisp pastry. Strawberry crostata with extra strawberries will need to be stored in the refrigerator and won’t keep as long. But, I don’t think that will be a problem!
Wedges or squares?
Ok, so how would you cut this crostata? When I am faced with a round cake, pie or tart I will automatically cut wedges. Fun Fact: crostata in Italy is often cut into squares and eaten as a cookie or biscuit with the fingers. But I’m not going to tell you how to cut your crostata. You choose. Either way it’s going to taste great! Guaranteed!
Did you love this Strawberry Crostata recipe? Then you’ll also love this Italian Yogurt Tub cake or the Italian Apple Pie. Perfect for an Italian style breakfast or simply anytime!
More recipes you’ll love
Crostata di Marmelata
Pastiera (Italian Easter Pie)
Strawberry Coulis
Chocolate Tart
Made this recipe?
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Strawberry Crostata Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 ¾ cups (350 grams) pastry or cake flour (See note 1)
- 1 ¼ cups (140 grams) powdered sugar icing sugar
- ⅔ cup (150 grams) unsalted butter cut into small pieces (See note 2)
- pinch salt
- 3 egg yolks (See Note 3)
- 1 egg (See Note 3)
- 1 lemon rind only grated
- 1 ⅓ cups (425 grams) strawberry jam
Instructions
- Butter a 10in/25cm flan pan with a removable base (See note 4).
- Place flour, sugar, butter and salt into food processor bowl. Process until the butter is incorporated and the mixture is sandy. Don't over process! (If you don't have a food processor, see note 5)
- Add egg yolks, egg and lemon rind. Process for 30-40 seconds or until the pastry just comes together and forms a ball.
- Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes or even overnight.
- Preheat oven 350ºF/180ºC.
- Flour a work surface and a rolling pin.
- Unwrap the dough and set aside 1/3 of the dough.
- Roll out the remaining dough into a circle that will fit the prepared pan. Remember to check that the dough is not sticking underneath and keep your rolling pin floured.
- Roll the dough around the rolling pic and unroll into the pan, carefully easing the dough into the corners.
- Trim away the excess.
- Spread the strawberry jam evenly into the pastry base.
- Add the trimmed dough to the reserved dough and roll out to 10in/25cm in length and about 4in/10cm wide.
- Cut strips of dough. I like to cut the strip quite thin but this is your crostata – cut the strips to whatever size you like.
- Arrange the strips across the crostata in a cross hatch pattern. Rerolling as needed.
- Press the edges to seal and trim excess.
- Bake crostata for 40-45 minutes until browned and cooked through.
- Allow to cool.
- Dust with powdered/icing sugar to serve.
Notes
- Use a pastry or cake flour which is low in protein for best results.
- Butter should be cold from the fridge. Warm butter will melt into the flour and not give the short texture needed for the pastry.
- Eggs can be either cold or at cool room temperature.
- You can use any pan or pie dish you like which is around 10in/25cm.
- The butter can be rubbed into the flour using your fingertips until the mixture resembles wet sand. Stir in the sugar and salt and continue with the recipe.
Nutritional Estimate Per Serving
Nutritional Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. For accurate results, it is recommended that the nutritional information be calculated based on the ingredients and brands you use.
My husband and I were blown away with this recipe – the crostata melts in your mouth – it was like eating in Italy. It was also easy to make and the lemon zest really adds flair. Best new recipe I’ve tried in years!
I’m thrilled that you love it, Robin!
it is such a aggrevation trying to read your recipe with the adds covering almost the whole page. please do something about this. the recipe looks good if you could read it
Hello Mary.
Yes, this recipe for Strawberry Crostata is very good indeed and is shared with you and all my readers free of charge. We work hard here at Marcellina in Cucina to create great recipes that work and a website like this is not inexpensive to run. It’s for this reason that we must run ads on the page.
Yes, we could eliminate ads altogether but then the site would need to become available only by paid subscription. However, I would rather provide recipes for free than make you and my valued readers pay for them.
I personally cook from Marcellina in Cucina using my phone and laptop and find it easy. Alternatively, you could print the recipe out or go to the print page and download a PDF from which you can read the recipe.
Hi Marcellina,
Your recipe looks amazing. I would love to try it. Can you
Specify if the eggs are at room temperature and if the butter
Is cold or room temperature. Thank you
In this case, Marina, the butter is fridge cold and eggs are cold or at cool room temperature.
Great dough recipe, easy to roll out! The crostata looks amazing
Thank you Sabrina! Yes, it is amazing. I love this recipe and so glad to have learnt it!
This Crostata is beautiful and strawberries are one of my favorites. Your pictures make me wish I could reach through the screen 🙂 . Take care.
Yes, I think strawberry crostata is my favourite too!
Oh my goodness, does that ever look delicious. You did a perfect job making that lattice crust. Just beautiful!
Thank you, Linda! I think it’s all in this amazing crust recipe – it’s a no fail really.
Marcellina I wish I lived closer to you so I could pop over for a slice of this delicious strawberry crostata and a cup of tea. But instead I’ll just have to whip it up myself 🙂
Oh Cassie, I’d love you to pop over! Anytime you’re up my way, you are so welcome!
This is just perfect, Marcellina! Crostate like this are a favorite and have been since my first trip to Italy. I make them often when there… I love your pasta frolla recipe – I have never made it with that many eggs, and I can just imagine how rich and sweet the dough must be! Thanks for sharing!
Thank you David! Yes, it does use a lot of eggs and I have never seen another like it. My daughter is Italy for a year. This recipe is adapted from her host mum’s recipe. It is so easy to work with but it was a bit of trial and error to get right. It works best with pastry flour.
I haven’t seen anything that tasteful for a long time ! Beautiful !
Aw that’s so nice of you to say!
One of my absolute favorites… although I have not mastered the lattice top. Your crostata looks absolutely delicious. Wedges or squares… that is a great question. I am sure I would enjoy this crostata recipe, no matter the shape! Thanks for sharing ♥
Me too, Maria, I love crostata. So simple and perfect!
Looks so so delicious!!