Italian Jam Tart

I drive an Alfa Romeo and eat Italian Jam Tart with my Italian coffee. That makes me kind of Italian, right?


*NOTE: This pastry is tender and delicate, which makes for great eating but also means it can be tricky to work with. My tip is to get it chilled before you make the lattice. It will break up a little (mine did), but just stick it together, it'll still look gorgeous. Crostata (which is what the Italians call this), is meant to be rustic.


Italian Jam Tart
adapted from Annabel Langbein's Simple Pleasures

1 cup apricot jam (or your favourite jam)

For the Pastry:
2 cups plain flour
3/4 cups caster sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
Pinch of salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1 egg plus 1 egg yolk
120ml olive oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 tablespoon vodka
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon

For the Mascarpone Cream:
1 cup mascarpone
1/3 cup thickened cream

Make the Mascarpone Cream:
Put the mascarpone and cream into a bowl and stir together. Set aside.

Make the Pastry:
In the bowl of a food processor, put the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and ground cloves. Whiz briefly to combine.

Put the egg and egg yolk, oil, vanilla, vodka and lemon zest into a bowl and whisk together.

Pour the egg mixture into the flour mixture and pulse until the dough comes together in a ball around the blade.

Turn out onto a lightly floured work surface and bring it together to a smooth dough with your hands. Set aside.

Make the Tart: 
Heat the oven to 170C fan-forced. Spray a 25cm loose-bottomed tart tin with cooking oil spray. Set aside.

Divide the dough into two - 2/3 portion and 1/3 portion. Wrap the 1/3 portion in cling wrap and put it in the refrigerator. Take the 2/3 portion and press it evenly into the base and sides of the prepared tin. Spoon in the jam and spread it evenly over the base.

Roll the remaining 1/3 portion of pastry between to sheets of baking paper and cut into 1cm wide strips. Use the strips to make a lattice pattern on top of the tart (*see note above).

Bake until lightly golden, about 40 - 45 minutes. Allow to cool before slicing. Serve with Mascarpone Cream.