This Strawberry Crostata is a beloved Italian treat for breakfast or dessert.
A crisp, tender shortcrust pastry filled with fruity jam pairs perfectly with a milky coffee or an espresso. All you need is good jam and a relaxed morning to enjoy it.
My daughter learned to make this delightful Strawberry Crostata while she was an au pair in Italy. The crust—rich with egg, crisp at the edges and buttery in flavor—is a classic pasta frolla. When she returned, she shared the recipe and it quickly became a household favourite.
For this crostata I use strawberry jam. I often make my own, but a good store-bought jam will work as long as it has a high fruit content. The fruit percentage makes a difference: higher fruit content gives better flavor and texture.
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Why you’ll love this recipe
- Flavor: The sweet, fruity jam against a rich, buttery crust creates a classic and comforting combination.
- Authentic Italian: This crostata uses traditional pasta frolla and is an honest, simple Italian recipe passed down from home cooks.
Crostata dough v pie dough
The dough used here is pasta frolla, an Italian shortcrust pastry that is sweeter and more tender than typical pie dough. Pasta frolla often follows a simple ratio of flour, butter and sugar and bakes up more cookie-like and delicate. It rolls easily, holds a jam filling well and is versatile—excellent for crostate, tarts or even plain cookies.
You can prepare the dough a day ahead and refrigerate it, or freeze it for up to three months. Chilling improves handling and flavor.
Variations
- Fresh strawberries: Layer thinly sliced fresh strawberries over the jam before adding a lattice top. The fresh fruit releases moisture, so leftovers should be refrigerated and will keep for a shorter time, but the extra freshness is delicious.
Top Tips
- Use pastry or cake flour with a lower protein content for a tender crust.
- Avoid overworking the dough to prevent toughness; underworked dough may not bake evenly.
- Always chill the dough before rolling to make handling easier and to keep the butter cold.
- Flour the work surface and rolling pin, not the dough, to avoid drying it out.
- If you have a kitchen scale, use metric measurements for the most consistent results.
Serving Suggestions
Serve the crostata at room temperature or slightly chilled. A light dusting of powdered sugar, a spoonful of mascarpone cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream are all lovely accompaniments. In Italy it’s often cut into squares and eaten by hand; elsewhere it’s commonly sliced like a tart—both are delicious.
If you enjoyed this Strawberry Crostata, try other simple Italian bakes such as a yogurt tub cake or an apple crostata for more rustic, home-style pastries.
More recipes you’ll love
Crostata di Marmellata
Pastiera (Italian Easter Pie)
Strawberry Coulis
Chocolate Tart
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Strawberry Crostata Recipe
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Ingredients
- 2 ¾ cups (350 grams) pastry or cake flour (low protein)
- 1 ¼ cups (140 grams) powdered (icing) sugar
- ⅔ cup (150 grams) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
- Pinch of salt
- 3 egg yolks
- 1 egg
- Grated rind of 1 lemon
- 1 ⅓ cups (425 grams) strawberry jam
Instructions
- Butter a 10in/25cm flan pan with a removable base.
- Place flour, powdered sugar, butter and a pinch of salt in a food processor. Pulse until the mixture resembles coarse sand. Do not overprocess. (If you don’t have a food processor, rub the butter into the flour with fingertips until sandy.)
- Add the egg yolks, whole egg and lemon rind. Process briefly until the pastry just comes together into a ball.
- Wrap the dough in plastic and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or overnight.
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC).
- Flour the work surface and rolling pin. Reserve about one-third of the dough for the lattice. Roll out the remaining dough into a circle large enough to line the prepared pan.
- Roll the dough around the rolling pin and unroll it into the pan, easing it into the corners. Trim the excess.
- Spread the strawberry jam evenly over the pastry base.
- Combine the trimmed dough with the reserved dough, roll out and cut into strips about 4in/10cm long (or to your preferred width).
- Arrange the strips in a cross-hatch lattice over the jam. Press the edges to seal and trim any excess.
- Bake for 40–45 minutes, until golden brown and cooked through.
- Allow the crostata to cool, then dust lightly with powdered sugar before serving.
Notes
If you have metric scales, use those measurements for the most accurate results.
- Use pastry or cake flour with low protein for a tender pastry.
- Keep the butter cold; warm butter will not give the desired short texture.
- Eggs may be cold or at cool room temperature.
- Any pan around 10in/25cm will work.
- If you don’t have a food processor, rub the butter into the flour with your fingertips until the mixture looks like wet sand, then stir in sugar and proceed.
Nutritional Estimate Per Serving
| Carbohydrates: 53 g
| Protein: 4 g
| Fat: 11 g
Nutritional Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate. For precise values calculate nutrition based on the specific ingredients and brands you use.