Homemade Italian Cherry Pie

Recipe for a Delicious Crostata from Food Festivals of Italy

© Rebecca Ford

Jan 25, 2009

This recipe for Cherry Crostada comes from Food Festivals of Italy by James O. Fraioli and Leonardo Curti (Gibbs Smith $35). It is a recipe associated with the Cherry Festival of the Veneto, just one of 50 festivals described in the book. Other festivals mentioned include the Strawberry Festival, also from the Veneto; the Lemon Festival of Campania, and the Prickly Pear Festival of Sicily. This recipe for homemade Cherry Crostata appears here with permission.

Cherry Crostata – Recipe, Serves 8

Crostata di Visciole

Ingredients

For the Pasta Frolla

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 3/4 cup butter, cold and cubed
• 2 eggs, slightly beaten
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest

For the Cherry Filling

• 5 cups pitted fresh cherries
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the Egg Wash

• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon water

Method

1. Spray an 11-inch fluted round tart pan with a removable bottom with non-stick spray and then line with parchment paper.
2. Preheat oven to 350° F.
3. In a food processor, add the flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder; whisk to blend. Add butter and pulse about ten times. Turn mixer on and add eggs, vanilla, and zest and then pulse until it looks grainy. Turn out on a clean surface and knead into a ball; cut in half and shape into two 5-inch disks. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 30 minutes. Remove dough 5 to 10 minutes before rolling time.
4. Roll out 1 piece of dough on a lightly floured surface, into a 12 inch circle. Trim edges, slightly, before lifting and placing over pan. Let edges hang over loosely. Roll out second dough into an oblong shape at least 12 x 14 inches. With a fluted pastry wheel, make 1-inch-long strips lengthwise to make twelve 1-inch strips.
5. In a bowl, mix together the Cherry Filling ingredients and then pour into tart pan with the dough. Brush the dough strips and edge of tart with egg wash, then in a lattice design, lay 6 strips down in one direction, 1-inch apart from each other. Then on an angle, lay the remaining 6 strips on top of previous strips. Press down to seal edges and remove any dough hanging off sides of pan.
6. Place tart on a cookie sheet and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until golden and bubbly; let cool. Garnish with powdered sugar before serving.

Read a review of Food Festivals of Italy, and try another recipe from the book for Baked Macaroni Pie.

Cherry Crostata from Italy

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