Description
A delightful Northern Italian crostata featuring a buttery hazelnut crust filled with a luscious mix of wild berries, sweetened and thickened to a jam-like consistency. Perfectly baked to a golden finish and served cold, this tart offers a harmonious balance of nutty, fruity, and sweet flavors, ideal as a refreshing dessert or afternoon treat.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Dough:
- 300 g cold butter
- 240 g ground hazelnuts
- 240 g flour
- 200 g sugar
- 1 pinch salt
For the Filling:
- 500 g fresh wild berries (brambles, raspberries, blueberries, wild strawberries)
- 2 tbsp corn starch
- 1-2 tbsp sugar
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Pan: Preheat the oven to 180°C using upper and lower heat. Line a springform baking tin with baking paper to prevent sticking and for easy removal of the tart.
- Make the Dough: Quickly knead together the cold butter, ground hazelnuts, flour, sugar, and salt until you achieve a crumbly dough. Use your hands to press and flatten the dough evenly into the springform pan, making sure to form a rim around the edges. Place the pan in the refrigerator to chill, which helps the dough firm up before baking.
- Prepare the Filling: In a saucepan, bring the fresh berries to a boil while stirring constantly to prevent burning. In a separate small bowl, mix the corn starch with a little warm water to create a slurry. Add this starch mixture along with the sugar to the boiling berries, then reduce the heat and simmer gently until the mixture thickens to a jam-like consistency. Remove from heat and let it cool slightly.
- Assemble and Bake: Remove the chilled dough-lined pan from the refrigerator and spread the thickened berry filling evenly over the bottom of the dough. Bake in the preheated oven for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the edges of the dough turn a light golden brown.
- Serve: Allow the tart to cool completely and serve cold. For an extra touch, a spoonful of whipped cream complements the tart beautifully and enhances its flavors.
Notes
- This crostata is a classic dish from northern Italy, celebrated for its blend of wild berries and hazelnuts.
- The tart can be made year-round; in the absence of fresh berries, high-quality berry jam can be used as a substitute.
- Chilling the dough before baking ensures a better texture and prevents shrinking.
- Serve chilled for best flavor and texture, optionally with whipped cream.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 474 kcal
- Sugar: 21.9 g
- Sodium: 165 mg
- Fat: 33 g
- Saturated Fat: 13.6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6.3 g
- Trans Fat: 0.8 g
- Carbohydrates: 42.7 g
- Fiber: 3.8 g
- Protein: 5.3 g
- Cholesterol: 54 mg
