Christmas

Rustic Apple Crostata

by:
September 25, 2015
4.7
3 Ratings
Photo by Francesca
  • Makes One 12 inch tart
Author Notes

I first learned the crust for this recipe in 1997 while on a return trip to my native Italy from my aunt Ida. Since then, I have made variations of this probably hundreds of times. With apple season upon us, I just created this out of the blue. I love baking recipes that allow you to be a bit creative and use different variations. —Francesca

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Ingredients
  • 150 grams butter at room temp
  • 150 grams sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • 350 grams flour
  • 1 zest of lemon or orange
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 2-3 medium apples of your choice
  • 2-3 tablespoons sugar, depending on tartness of apples
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
Directions
  1. Preheat oven at 350
  2. Mix soft sugar with butter
  3. Add egg and egg yolk and mix well
  4. Slowly add flour, it will look dry and crumbly but it will come together nicely
  5. Add the zest and baking powder
  6. If dough appears dry, you may add 1-2 tablespoons of milk. You should only need to do this is your butter is not soft enough, or you are using small eggs.
  7. Shape dough in a ball, cut about 1/3 of the dough and use it for something else, such as a smaller tart or roll with pin and make cookies. The original recipe has a lattice topping so if you are not making one, like for this tart, you will have left-over dough
  8. Take the large piece of dough and place it in a 12 inch tart pan that has been sprayed with cooking spray. You may use a tart pan with a removable bottom, but if you do not have one, you can use a regular, 12 inch cake pan.
  9. With the palm of your hand, spread the dough evenly at the bottom and along the sides. Feel the dough as you do this for areas in which it might be thicker or thinner. Try to get an even spread of the dough
  10. With a fork prick the crust about 10 times to create a way for the steam to escape
  11. Spread the jam evenly on the crust
  12. Toss the thinly sliced apples in the sugar and cinnamon
  13. Layer over the jam, you may wish to have a little bit of overlay on the apples or you may just spread them evenly
  14. Bake for 35 minutes. Start checking at 30 minutes, depending on your over, you may not need the entire 35 minutes. Look at the border and you will be able to judge by the crust color if it’s done

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1 Review

Nicole D. November 25, 2015
The directions mention jam, but there is no jam in the ingredient list.