Published January 1, 2007.
Since the jam filling is minimal in this jam crostata recipe, the pastry is all-important. American pie dough isn’t sweet or tender enough, so we created a soft, almost biscuitlike dough and took care not to overwork it by starting it in the food processor and hand-kneading to finish.
When it comes to simplicity, no one beats the Italians. A jam crostata looks elegant but comes together easily—that is, if you have the right recipe. Crostata di marmellata can be made with any smooth jam, including blackberry and cherry, although our tasters particularly liked raspberry jam. If you want to use a jam with chunks of fruit, puree it in the food processor to achieve a smooth texture. To avoid overworking the dough, finish kneading it by hand. If you process the dough in a food processor until it comes together in a ball, the baked crust will be tough and overly crisp, not flaky and biscuit-like, which is the desired texture.
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