What is crostata?
Crostata is an Italian cake, also known as coppi in Naples and sfogliata in Lombardy. The oldest known appearance of crostata to date dates back to its mention in the cookbook Libro de Arte Coquinaria by Martino da Como, published in 1465, and Cuoco napolitano, published at the end of the 15th century, which contains a recipe titled crostata de Caso, pane, etc.
Crostata is considered a rustic, open fruit tart, very simple to make and made with ingredients that have been easily and cheaply available throughout the history of Italy (and then the rest of the world).
It is believed that the crostata, beyond being one of Italy’s most popular pies, is also one of the most (if not the most) ancient.
Although nothing is known for certain about its birth or appearance, there is a strong belief that the appearance of the crostata as it is known today has its origins in earlier savory pies.
It was only in the year 1000 AD that a recipe for the sweet with cane sugar from the Middle East was found in Venice. Many believe that the inventor of the actual recipe was none other than a nun from the convent of San Gregorio Armeno. It is said that the strips of shortcrust pastry on the surface of the cake are reminiscent of the grids with which the cloistered nuns attended religious services.
September 9 is the official national day of the crostata. To celebrate it, many Italians continue to prepare it by hand and then eat it and share it with their loved ones.
What is the origin of the word “crostata”?
The word crostata comes from the Latin word crustāta, past participle of crustāre (to encrust) and also, from the word crusta (crust). It is from this word that the French term croustade appeared, from which the English custard later came.
The word crostata appears in one of the first Italian dictionaries, Vocabolario degli Accademici della Crusca of 1612 of the Accademia della Crusca and the Scuola Normale Superiore di Pisa. Here, it was defined as a type of cake or pastry.
Other versions in the world
There are several cakes or pies similar to crostata throughout the world, with more or less the same characteristics.
Curiously, in several Latin American countries (Uruguay, Argentina, and Paraguay), this cake has the same name as in Egypt, Italy, and Greece. It is called pasta frola and, although in its traditional version, it always has a filling based on quince, especially in South America it is not uncommon to find versions based on sweet potato jam, strawberry jelly, or even dulce de leche.
The particularity of pasta frola is its shape in which the filling peeks through small diamond-shaped windows made with strips of dough. This recipe arrived in Latin America, of course, with Italian immigration.
Meanwhile, in Austria there is a very similar cake called linzer torte with the only difference being that this one has slivered almonds on the edge to give it a touch of crunchiness. Generally the filling of the linzer torte is made of apricots, raspberries, or red currants.
In Austria, the so-called linzer cookies appeared after a while. The concept of these cookies is very similar to that of the cake: it is a sandwich cookie in which, in the upper layer, there is a hole that allows the filling to be seen.
There is a legend that says that crostata managed to make Queen Maria Theresa of Austria, wife of Ferdinand II, smile. It is not for less to remember this since this queen has been known throughout history as “the queen who never smiles”. She probably must have liked it very much.
Photo credit: Mike Benayoun
Crostata (Italian Cake)
Ingredients
- 2 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¾ cup butter
- ⅔ cup sugar
- Zest of a lemon
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 egg
- 10 oz. apricot jam (or other jam)
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon butter ,melted
- ½ cup shredded coconut
Equipment
- Stand mixer
- Pie pan
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 380 F (190˚C).
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the flour with the butter, baking powder, sugar and lemon zest, and mix. The mixture will have a sandy texture.
- Add the eggs and continue mixing. If the dough is too sticky, add a little flour.
- Roll ⅔ of the dough in a pie pan and place in the refrigerator.
- Remove the pie pan from the refrigerator and fill it with the jam, pouring it evenly.
- Roll out the rest of the dough to a thickness of ⅛ inch (2 mm) and cut into strips about ½ inch wide (1 cm).
- Cover the pie with the strips of dough, making a lattice pattern.
- (Optional) Glue the edges carefully, by applying another strip of dough all around the pie.
- Sprinkle shredded coconut around the edges of the pie after brushing with melted butter.
- Bake in a hot oven until the dough is golden brown, about 30 to 40 minutes.
- Let cool before slicing.
Sources
Wikipedia (EN) – Linzer Torte
Wikipedia (EN) – Crostata
Italia Regina
That’s Liguria
Hands Doing Things is the brainchild of Sabri and Bian, who combined their passion for food with their professional careers of writing & photography, and filmmaking.
Leave a Reply