Crostata con Marmellata e Caffè

A buttery shortcrust tart filled with tangy homemade orange marmalade, with a lattice top that shatters at first bite. The classic Italian grandmother's breakfast.

RECIPE

Crostata con Marmellata e Caffè

A buttery shortcrust tart filled with tangy homemade orange marmalade, with a lattice top that shatters at first bite. The classic Italian grandmother's breakfast.

Prep150 mins

Cook110 mins

Total260 mins

Servings10

Breakfast

Italian

Quick

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups (300g) 00 or all-purpose flour
• 1 cup (225g) cold unsalted butter, cubed
• 3/4 cup (150g) granulated sugar, plus 1 1/4 cups (250g) for the marmalade
• 4 large egg yolks, plus 1 whole egg for the wash
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
• 3 large thick-skinned oranges (about 1 1/4 lb)
• 1 lemon, juiced

Preparation

1

Scrub the oranges, slice them paper-thin with the peel on, and flick out the seeds. Cover with water in a wide pan and simmer 45 minutes until the peel is completely soft. Peel that is still firm now stays firm forever — sugar sets it in place.

2

Add the 250g sugar and the lemon juice. Boil hard 20-30 minutes to 220F/105C, until a spoonful dropped on a cold plate wrinkles when pushed. Cool completely; warm marmalade soaks straight into raw pastry.

3

Rub the cold butter into the flour, 150g sugar, lemon zest and salt with your fingertips until the mixture looks like coarse sand. The butter must stay cold and still visible in flecks — that is what makes the crust shatter rather than crumble.

4

Add the yolks and bring the dough together with a few strokes. Do not knead. Worked frolla goes tough, and tough is the opposite of short.

5

Flatten into two discs, one twice the size of the other, wrap and chill at least 1 hour. Unrested dough cracks as you roll it and shrinks down the tin as it bakes.

6

Roll the larger disc to about 1/8 inch, line a 9-inch tart tin, and trim the edge. Chill the lined tin another 15 minutes while you roll the rest.

7

Spread the cooled marmalade in a thin, even layer, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Overfilling boils over and welds the lattice to the tin.

8

Roll the smaller disc, cut 3/4-inch strips, and lay them in a lattice. Press the ends into the border, trim, and brush the lattice and rim with beaten egg.

9

Bake at 375F for 35-40 minutes, until the lattice is deep gold and the marmalade only just bubbles at the edges. Pale frolla is underbaked and tastes of raw flour.

10

Cool completely in the tin before releasing. Cut warm, the lattice tears and the filling runs.

11

Enjoy the crostata with the coffee — no plate needed if you're standing at the kitchen counter like a true Italian.

Servings and Nutrition

Number of Servings in Crostata con Marmellata e Caffè

10

Nutrition for 1 serving (1 slice)

380

Calories (kcal)

6

Protein (g)

52

Carbs (g)

18

Fat (g)

Protein 6.0g

6%

Carbs 52.0g

53%

Fat 18.0g

41%