Rhubarb and Strawberry Jam Crostata
Crostata is a rustic Italian tart, which you can make with any fruits you like, depending on the season.
I used the rhubarb jam I prepared on Sunday, because it has a special role besides the good taste it has in combination with strawberries: it prevents the juice from the strawberries from reaching the dough at the bottom and making it soggy. Another solution would be to sprinkle breadcrumbs or crushed biscuits on the dough instead of jam.
For the tart dough to turn out crispy and slightly crumbly, it's important to use very cold ingredients (butter and water) and whenever you handle the dough, keep your hands cold so the butter doesn't melt, as it's what gives the crust its texture. Also, when forming the tart you need to work very quickly.
You can make the tart with any jam and any fruits you want, it only depends on your tastes. During winter you can make it just with jam, put a thicker layer of it and when it's baked, decorate with almond flakes or lightly toasted nuts. Another interesting combination I want to try is with raspberries and apricots...
Ingredients
170g flour
2 tablespoons sugar (I used brown sugar)
a pinch of salt
150g cold butter (from the fridge)
4-6 tablespoons cold water (keep it in the freezer for 10 minutes)
3 tablespoons rhubarb jam
8 large strawberries
1 tablespoon powdered sugar for decorating
How to prepare rhubarb and strawberry jam crostata
- Put the flour, sugar and salt in a food processor and mix for a few seconds to combine well. Add the butter cut into flakes and mix for another 5 seconds, until the dough is sandy. With the processor running, add one tablespoon of water at a time until the dough comes together in a ball. I used 5 tablespoons of water.
- With cold hands (I kept them under cold running water), remove the dough from the processor, wrap it in plastic wrap shaping it into a disc and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
- Meanwhile, slice the strawberries.
- On the tray where you'll bake the tart (I used the bottom of a round springform pan) place parchment paper and sprinkle with flour (the dough can be a bit sticky). Place the dough in the center and with cold, floured hands stretch it into a circular sheet about 27cm in diameter, it doesn't have to be perfect.
- Spread the jam in the center leaving a border of about 5cm free. Arrange the strawberry slices on the jam in a circle, starting from the outside.
- Fold the free edges up around the filling, always keeping your hands floured and using the paper underneath to help if the dough has stuck a bit. Gently press the edge and sprinkle a little sugar on it to make it crispy. If you want it more golden, brush it with a little melted butter or beaten egg yolk before sprinkling the sugar, I didn't do this.
- Bake in the preheated oven at 200C for 45-50 minutes.
*Halfway through the baking time I added more strawberries to the tart, because I didn't put them all at the beginning, they seemed like too many, but they shrank a lot, revealing the jam layer, so I covered the gaps. - Sprinkle powdered sugar on the edges after it has cooled down a bit. Serve when completely cooled.
Mixing flour with sugar and salt
Adding the butter flakes
Mixing the butter to get sandy dough
Adding water
Refrigerating the dough
Rolling out a circular sheet
Spreading the jam on the dough
Arranging the strawberry slices
Folding the edge and sprinkling sugar
Rhubarb and Strawberry Jam Crostata
