Italian crostata
Description
The pastry is simple and quick to prepare. Every time I make this pie, I remember how my mom used to bake such sweets for our evening tea when I was a child. We always had some jam stored in the basement, and flour too. All that remained was to get some butter or margarine and a couple of eggs. For this pie, we use only egg yolks. By the way, you can use the leftover egg whites to make a bit of meringue or a fluffy whipped cream topping for the pie. The pastry is ready. Serve it at the table.
Instructions
- 1
Step 1
First, we prepare the dough. For this, sift the flour through a sieve. Take the butter out of the refrigerator and cut it into pieces. Get the blender ready. Pour the flour into it and add the pieces of butter. Break the eggs, using only the yolks. Add a pinch of salt. Blend all the ingredients in the blender until smooth.
- 2
Step 2
Take the dough out of the blender. It will be crumbly. We need to shape it into a ball. Use your hands to roll the dough into a smooth round ball. Take out your baking pan. Mine has decorative, low edges (as it should). Pinch off a small piece of dough from the ball (about one-third of the total amount) — this will be used for the top strips. Roll out both pieces of dough. Transfer the larger piece into the pan (mine is 28 cm in diameter). You don't need to grease the pan since the dough is already oily. But this is true only for good ovens! For ovens that tend to "misbehave," it's better to additionally grease the pan with oil. Shape the edges. Prick the dough with a fork to prevent it from puffing up during baking.
- 3
Step 3
Now add the filling. I used leftover apricot jam, but you can use any other jam, or fresh berries and fruits. If using fresh fruit, it's better to cook them first to remove excess juice. Cut thin strips from the small piece of dough and arrange them diagonally over the jam, following the shape of the pie. Tuck the ends into the edges. Slightly fold the edges of the pie toward the filling. Place in a preheated oven and bake for 20 minutes at 190°C.
- 4
Step 4
Keep an eye on the pie to prevent it from burning. It's best to bake on the upper rack. If you're unsure about your oven, place a pan of water on the bottom rack. This may slightly increase the baking time. The pie is done when the dough is nicely browned. It can be served hot or cold.