This Crostata di Frutta is such a beautiful, classic Italian dessert. Crostata (translated to ‘fruit tart’) is a popular dessert in Italy and they come in so many different varieties from a jam filling, chocolate, and fresh fruit. Try this delicious summer fresh fruit and citrus tart recipe. It’s fresh, light, and delicious!
Shortcrust pastry, with ricotta, strawberries, raspberries and blueberries.
Mixed Summer Fruit Tart
Misto Crostata di frutta estiva
Adapted from a recipe in the book “The Collection” by Antonio Carluccio and from the website of: https://www.jusrol.co.uk/pastry-recipes/summer-fruit-orange-tart
“The Italian equivalent of English tea at 4 or 5 o’clock in the afternoon is the merenda, when most children eat a slice of what every Italian mother can make – jam tart. It is usually filled with a good homemade jam such as peach, apricot, cherry or prune. It can also be made with fresh or cooked fruit on a blind-baked shortcrust pastry base.” Antonio Carluccio
Ingredients: No. of servings 6
- 1 x 500g Jus-Rol shortcrust pastry ready rolled
- 3 eggs – 1 whole and 2 yolks
- 150g caster sugar
- Finely grated zest of 1 orange and 1 unwaxed lemon
- 250 g vegetarian ricotta cheese
- 300 g strawberries – hulled and thinly sliced
- 250 g raspberries
- 100g blueberries
- 1 tsp. of cinnamon
- icing sugar for dredging
Method:
- Preheat oven to 200°C/ 180°C for fan assisted ovens/ 400°F/Gas Mark 6
- If using pastry from frozen, defrost thoroughly for at least 12 hours in a fridge or for 2 hours at room temperature. Un-roll the pastry and gently line a 23cm/9″ flan tin with it. Allow the pastry to fall over the sides of the flan tin and trim off only the long bits. Pierce the base of the pastry with a fork, cover the pastry with parchment paper and add the ceramic balls. Spread them over the pastry base.
- Bake blind for 12 minutes in the oven. Remove from the oven and tip out the ceramic balls and take away the parchment paper. Return the pastry base into the oven for the final for the 5-7 minutes. Reduce oven temp. to 160°C / 140°C for fan assisted ovens /325°F/ Gas Mark 3, remove the pastry base and let it rest on a metal trivet.
- Meanwhile, in a large bowl whisk the ricotta, the eggs and sugar, orange and lemon zest and the cinnamon for about 5 minutes.
- Scatter the strawberries over base of flan. Gently spoon the ricotta and egg mixture into the flan to cover the strawberries and return to the oven to bake for 35- 40 minutes until ‘custard’ is just set. Remove and allow to cool.
6. To serve – scatter the raspberries and blueberries over top and dredge with icing sugar.
Produced by John Fletcher at http://www.johnstastesofitaly.com
John's Tastes Of Italy 
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