1 week ago
2
As strawberries begin to make their entrance, just a little shy of the full summer sun, roasting them coaxes out their natural sweetness, softening their tart edges and concentrating their flavour. This crostata, a free-form tart layered with a thin layer of citrus- and vanilla-flavoured ricotta, lends just enough richness without overshadowing the fruit. Encased in golden pastry, the filling sets softly in the oven while the berries roast into jammy pools.
Ingredients
FOR THE PASTRY
185g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
¼ tsp fine sea salt
⅛ tsp baking powder
120g unsalted butter, cold, cubed
85g cream cheese
2 tsp cider vinegar
1-2 tbsp pure cream
FOR THE RICOTTA BASE
250g ricotta
50g caster sugar
finely grated zest of 1 small orange or lemon
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 egg yolk
FOR THE STRAWBERRY TOPPING
500g strawberries, hulled and sliced in half (quartered if the strawberries are very large)
2 tbsp caster sugar
2 tsp cornflour
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
FOR THE GLAZE
1 small egg, lightly beaten
1 tbsp demerara sugar
Method
Step 1
To make the pastry, put the flour, salt and baking powder in a food processor and pulse a few times to combine and aerate. Add the cold, cubed butter and pulse until the butter is in small pieces, then add the cream cheese. Pulse until incorporated – the crumbs will look damp and unevenly sized – and add the vinegar and 1 tablespoon of the cream. Pulse until the dough just starts to come together (add another tablespoon of cream if it doesn’t), then tip the pastry out onto a lightly floured surface. Gather and press the pastry into one piece, then wrap loosely in cling film. Press to flatten into a disc and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (and up to 2 days).
Step 2
When the pastry is well rested and you’re ready to bake the crostata, prepare the ricotta base: put all the ingredients in a bowl and stir with a wooden spoon until fully combined, then refrigerate.
Step 3
Prepare the strawberries by combining all the ingredients in a bowl and tossing gently. Set aside.
Step 4
Preheat the oven to 190C fan-forced (210C conventional).
Step 5
Remove the pastry from the fridge and place it on a large sheet of baking paper that has been lightly dusted with flour. Roll the pastry out evenly into a large circle (about 38-40cm wide and 2mm thick). Don’t worry if the edges are irregular: this is part of the charm of a crostata. Lift the baking paper and transfer it and the pastry onto a large baking tray.
Step 6
Spread the ricotta mix evenly across the middle of the pastry, leaving a 4cm-5cm border.
Step 7
Spoon the strawberries on top of the ricotta mix, drizzle over any of their juice, then carefully draw the pastry border up and over the fruit, roughly pleating it as you go and leaving the centre of the crostata exposed.
Step 8
To glaze, brush the egg over the pastry border, then sprinkle with the sugar. Bake for 40-45 minutes until the crostata is golden-brown. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool a little before serving.
