# What is a crostata? Canonical: https://zestasy.com/wiki/what-is-a-crostata/ Section: Zestasy Wiki > Food · Updated: 2026-10-14 · Publisher: Zestasy *Zestasy Wiki: our reference answers. Checked for facts and sources; less curated than the magazine.* A crostata is an Italian tart: a base of sweet shortcrust pastry, *pasta frolla*, filled with jam, fresh fruit, custard or sweetened ricotta and usually finished with a lattice of pastry strips. It is a home baker's cake rather than a pastry-shop showpiece, sturdy enough to sit on the counter for a few days, and as welcome with morning coffee as it is after dinner. If Italian home baking has a default setting, a jam crostata is a strong candidate. It is the tart that appears on a Sunday, gets covered with a tea towel, and is gradually reduced to crumbs over the following days by people passing through the kitchen "just for a sliver". It is not difficult, not fussy, and very hard to stop eating. ## What it is, exactly Italy's Treccani dictionary defines a crostata as an oven-baked sweet made of [a sheet of pasta frolla topped with jam or cream](https://www.treccani.it/vocabolario/crostata/), and traces the word to *crosta*, crust. [Wikipedia's entry](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crostata) adds that the name goes back to Latin, that versions appear in Italian cookbooks of the fifteenth century, and that Bartolomeo Scappi's sixteenth-century work includes crostate with fruits such as plums, sour cherries, quinces and pears. So it is old, and it has always been about fruit in a crust. Wikipedia also lists the familiar fillings: jam (*crostata alla marmellata*), ricotta mixed with sugar and lemon zest, chocolate spreads, and fresh fruit laid over pastry cream in a blind-baked case (*crostata di frutta*). There are savoury versions too; for savoury tarts, see our page on the [torta salata](https://zestasy.com/wiki/torta-salata/). ## The pastry: pasta frolla Pasta frolla is a sweet shortcrust made from flour, butter, sugar and egg, often perfumed with lemon zest or vanilla. It bakes up tender and crumbly, and it is fairly forgiving. Cues for getting it right: - **Keep it cool.** Rub or pulse cold butter into the flour and sugar until it looks like coarse sand, then bring it together with egg. Stop as soon as it holds. - **Rest it.** Wrapped in the fridge for a while, it becomes firm enough to roll without tearing. - **Roll between sheets of baking paper** if it is sticky. Patch tears by pressing in scraps; nobody will see under the jam. - **Don't roll it too thin.** A crostata base is a little thicker than many tart bases, which is part of its comfortable character. Good shop-bought sweet shortcrust is a perfectly fine shortcut. ## Fillings - **Jam.** The classic: apricot, cherry, plum, fig, mixed berries. Use a thick, fruity jam and spread it in an even layer, not too deep, or it bubbles over. Loosen a very firm jam with a spoon of water or lemon juice. - **Ricotta.** Sweetened ricotta with lemon or orange zest, sometimes with chocolate chips or a little candied peel. Drain wet ricotta first. - **Fresh fruit and custard.** A blind-baked case, a layer of cold pastry cream, then fresh fruit arranged on top. Best on the day. - **Baked fruit.** Sliced apples, pears, plums or apricots laid over a thin layer of jam or frangipane and baked into the tart. - **Chocolate.** A spread or a simple ganache, for the more indulgent end of the scale. ## The lattice The lattice is what makes a crostata recognisable at a glance. Roll the remaining pastry, cut it into strips with a knife or a fluted wheel, and lay them across the filling in a diagonal grid. There is no need to weave; simply lay one set of strips in one direction and the second set across them. Press the ends onto the rim, trim, and brush the strips with a little beaten egg or milk for colour. The crostata is ready when the pastry is deep golden at the edges and the jam is bubbling gently in the gaps. Let it cool completely before slicing; the jam sets as it cools. ## Why it belongs at breakfast A jam crostata is barely sweeter than toast and jam, which is more or less what it is. With a cappuccino or a cup of tea, a slice is a very civilised start to the day. For dessert, serve it with a spoon of mascarpone, yoghurt or cream. And for a sweet that keeps well on the counter for a few days under a cloth, it is hard to beat. ## FAQ ### What is the difference between a crostata and a tart? A crostata is an Italian kind of tart. The pastry is usually the softer, crumblier pasta frolla, and the fillings and lattice are typically homely rather than elaborate. ### Why did our jam overflow and burn? Too much jam, or a jam that was too runny. Use a thinner layer of a thicker jam, and bake on a tray to catch any drips. ### Can we make crostata with olive oil instead of butter? Yes. Pastry made with olive oil is a little crunchier and less rich, and works especially well with citrus and fig fillings. ### How long does a crostata keep? A jam crostata keeps well for a few days covered at room temperature. Tarts with custard, cream or ricotta belong in the fridge: the Food Standards Agency lists dairy among the foods to [keep chilled](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/keeping-food-safe-on-a-picnic/keeping-food-safe-on-a-picnic). ## Sources - [Treccani Vocabolario: crostata](https://www.treccani.it/vocabolario/crostata/) - [Wikipedia: Crostata](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crostata) - [Food Standards Agency (GOV.UK): Keeping food safe on a picnic](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/keeping-food-safe-on-a-picnic/keeping-food-safe-on-a-picnic) ## Related - [What do Italians actually eat for breakfast?](https://zestasy.com/wiki/italian-breakfast/) - [Why do Italians bake cakes with olive oil?](https://zestasy.com/wiki/olive-oil-cake/) - [What can you make with a tub of ricotta?](https://zestasy.com/wiki/what-to-make-with-ricotta/) - [What does macerating fruit mean?](https://zestasy.com/wiki/macerating-fruit/) - [What is a torta salata, and what can go in it?](https://zestasy.com/wiki/torta-salata/) - [All Food answers in the Wiki](https://zestasy.com/wiki/#food)