Crostata

published on Jun 16, 2023

2 comments

5 from 9 votes

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This crostata recipe features a perfectly baked, flaky, golden crust stuffed with a sweet-sour mixed berry filling.

I love pies. Sweet or savory, I am ever ready for them! And even though nothing beats my chocolate tart, I am sure you’ll love my key lime and cherry pie.

But if you’re looking for simple tart recipes, you must try apple pie, blueberry clafoutis, galette, or this berry crostata recipe.

What is a crostata?

Crostata is a classic Italian pie. Like a galette, it is an open pastry filled with fresh summery fruits. It is served with creamy gelato and doesn’t need a tart shell or a fancy cover.

It’s typically made with apples or peaches, but berries are great!

Why you’ll love this recipe

Crowd pleaser. This crostata is perfect for parties! Serve it next to ice cream; it’ll be gone in no time!
Easy. You don’t need complex kitchen equipment or molds to ace this pie. All you need to do is make a rough pastry dough, fill it with your favorite fruit pieces, fold it, and bake.
Versatile. The best part about this crostata is that you can enjoy it as a snack, breakfast, or dessert.

What I love the most about this dish is how incredibly simple yet lovely the crostata looks. The golden crust beautifully contrasts the glossy, colorful pie filling.

Ingredients Needed

Make the classic Italian crostata with regular pantry staples and fresh berries. Here’s what you’ll need:

For the crust.

All-purpose flour. To make the flaky pastry base. I have used all-purpose flour for this recipe, but feel free to substitute it with gluten-free flour if you are allergic to gluten.
Butter. You’ll need cold unsalted butter cut into small cubes. Add a pinch of salt for a salty crus, or use salted butter instead.
Superfine sugar. It helps to achieve the gorgeous golden crust. If you don’t have superfine sugar, standard white sugar works.
Ice cold water. Ice-cold water helps to keep the dough and butter cold.
Egg. It helps to get a glistening finish and to keep the surface moist as it bakes.

For the blueberry filling.

Strawberries. Trim the tops and slice fresh strawberries.
Raspberries. I love the fragrance and sweet-sour taste of the fresh raspberries.
Blueberries. Use fresh, clean blueberries to make this crostata.
Lemon juice. It helps to balance the sweet-sour flavors.
Sugar. To bring the filling together and to slightly sweeten it.
Corn starch. It acts as a thickener for the filling.

How to make the tastiest mix-berry crostata

Follow these five simple steps to make the perfect crostata every single time.

1. Make a crust. Rub the cold butter into the flour using clean fingers or a pastry cutter in a large bowl until you see crumbs.

2. Make the dough. Add ice-cold water to the crumb, shape the dough into a disc, and transfer it to the fridge for at least ten minutes.

3. Make the fruit filling. Toss the berries with sugar, cornstarch, and lemon juice.

4. Assemble the crostata. Roll the cold dough into a 12-inch circle and place the filling at the center. Fold over the 2-inch border over the fruit.

5. Egg wash and bake. Brush the dough edges with an egg and water wash, dust the top with sugar, and bake in the preheated oven at 375F for 30-35 minutes.

6. Serve warm. Let the crostata cool for about 5 minutes before cutting into it. Serve warm.

Tips to make the best recipe

Keep everything cold. Don’t substitute ice-cold water with room-temp water. Because this is a buttery base, you must work quickly so the butter does not melt.
Flour the surface. Lightly dust the rolling pin and the surface with flour when rolling the dough. It prevents the dough from sticking and eases the process.
Chill the dough. Resting the dough in the fridge allows the butter to thicken and make a workable dough.
Roll an even dough. For the perfectly baked crust, roll out an even dough for uniform baking.

Flavor variations

Nutella crostata. This one is pure indulgence. If you are nuts for Nutella, spread it on the pastry base, and top it with crumble or nuts.
Jam crostata. Instead of using a mix of berries, make a filling with jam and fresh fruits. You could also make two thin layers- one with thick custard and the other with berry slices.
Make it vegan. Substitute butter with margarine or plant-based butter and egg with vegan cream.
Apple crostata. Try this crostata with all seasonal fruits like peach, cherries, mango, apple, apricot, and banana.
Peach crostata.
Flavor your crust. I often add the zest of half a lemon to the crust for a bright lemon flavor. Try it if you love citrusy notes.

Storage instructions

To store. Keep the leftover crostata at room temperature for a day. If you wish to store it for longer, store it covered in a refrigerator for 2-3 days.

To freeze. Crostata freezes well. Wrap it in a freezer-safe bag and store it in the freezer for three months. When you’re ready to eat, thaw it out inside the refrigerator.

Recommended tools to make this recipe

Pastry cutter. If you don’t like your hands to get messy, use this pastry cutter to work the butter.
Rolling pin. To roll out a thin dough.

More berry recipes to try

Frequently asked questions

Can I make the dough in advance?

Sure, you can! Wrap the dough disc in plastic and preserve it for up to 3 days in the fridge or three months in the freezer.

Can I use a food processor to make the dough for Crostata?

Pulse the cold butter cubes and flour first. Once the butter is uniformly distributed, combine the dough by adding ice-cold water.

What can I serve with crostata?

If serving for dessert, serve it with a scoop of ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream. I also enjoy it at breakfast or as an afternoon snack with latté or iced coffee.

Arman Liew

I’m a two time cookbook author, photographer, and writer, and passionate about creating easy and healthier recipes. I believe you don’t need to be experienced in the kitchen to make good food using simple ingredients that most importantly, taste delicious.