@GabGrabsGrub: Italian Crostata (Fruit tart)

Photo Courtesy of Gab Varano

Ingredients:

1/2 cup of sugar

1 cup of butter, softened

2 1/2 cups of AP flour

1 egg

Pinch of salt

1 medium-sized jar of your favorite fruit preserves

Instructions:

Cut softened butter into pieces, measuring approximately 1 tablespoon in size. 

Place into a large mixing bowl.

Add sugar and mix with a fork to create a soft paste.

Gradually add flour and use your hands to amalgamate and create crumbled dough.

Add egg and a generous pinch of salt.

Continue mixing with hands until a soft, cohesive dough forms.

Divide dough into two pieces – one approximately 2/3 of the dough and the remaining 1/3 set aside. The smaller piece will be used for the lattice top.

Press the larger piece of dough into the bottom of a standard glass pie pan. Divide the dough evenly along the bottom and create an edge along the sides of the pie pan.

Refrigerate for about 10 minutes.

Lightly dust the preparation surface with flour and roll out the remaining dough into a flat, thin round. Using a knife or pastry cutter, divide the dough into 1/2-inch strips that will be used to form a lattice top.

Remove the pan containing the pie crust from the refrigerator and spoon in the fruit preserves. Spread evenly along the bottom of the pan. Place the dough strips on top of the fruit preserves to form a lattice design.

Bake at 400 degrees F for approximately 25-30 minutes or until the bottom crust turns golden in color.

Allow to cool before serving.