Jam crostata

This crostata uses a different pastry again, with a touch of baking powder to give it some lift. It works perfectly with a sharp marmalade or a not-so-sweet jam.

Credit: Alan Benson

• serves

  8

• prep

  20 minutes

• cook

  30 minutes

• difficulty

  Mid

Ingredients

• 200 g apricot jam
• 1 egg, beaten with ⅛ tsp salt
• 1 tsp caster sugar, to sprinkle
• pouring cream (optional), to serve

Pastry

• 300 g (2 cups) plain flour, sifted, plus extra, to dust
• ½ tsp baking powder
• 110 g (½ cup) caster sugar
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• 120 g cold unsalted butter, finely chopped 

Chilling time 30 minutes

Instructions

To make pastry, combine 150 g (1 cup) flour, baking powder, sugar and a pinch of salt in a bowl. Add egg and vanilla and work into the flour using a spoon, then mix with your fingertips. Work in butter, only until it comes together (don’t worry if it’s not evenly spread) then add remaining 150 g (1 cup) flour. Knead until dough just starts to come together, adding a little extra water if needed. Roll into a ball, then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 200°C. Lightly dust a piece of baking paper with flour, place pastry ball on top and roll into 35 cm circle; don’t worry if pastry hangs over baking paper. Transfer baking paper with pastry to an oven tray.

Spread jam in a rough circle on pastry leaving a 4 cm border around the edges. Fold edges of pastry towards the centre to cover the jam, making a 4 cm crust all around. The pastry may crack a bit as you go, but don’t worry about that. Once you’ve finished, the crostata should be about 27 cm in diameter with a nice circle of jam visible in the centre.

Brush exposed pastry with egg mixture, making sure you get into all the nooks and crannies, but be careful not to let egg run onto jam. Sprinkle exposed pastry with extra sugar. Bake on the top shelf of the oven, checking to make sure pastry doesn’t scorch, for 30 minutes or until pastry is golden and cooked through. Serve drizzled with cream, if desired.

Photography Alan Benson. Food preparation Jesse Eynon. Styling Michelle Crawford.

As seen in Feast magazine, November 2014, Issue 37.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.