Dive into the true flavours of Italian baking with this raspberry jam tart, a dessert that holds all the sweetness and balance of the traditional repertoire. With its crumbly shortcrust pastry and a heart of deeply fragrant jam, the crostata is one of the cornerstones of Italian home baking — perfect to close a family meal or to go with a well-earned break.
Raspberry jam, with its fine balance between acidity and sweetness, marries beautifully with the delicacy of shortcrust pastry, a contrast that wins the palate on the first bite. This tart suits spring and summer especially well, when you want a dessert that is fresh and still full of character. Read more about the history of Italian cuisine or visit the Slow Food website.
A jam tart is warm, familiar baking, the kind that brings back childhood and shared tables. The raspberry version adds a note of freshness and brightness that makes it fit for more elegant occasions too.
The Crostata in the Italian Tradition
The crostata has its roots deep in Italian cooking, with records going back to the Renaissance. It began as a way of using up leftover pastry and filling it with whatever the larder offered, and over time it became the emblem of home baking. Its adaptability carried it into every region of Italy, taking on different features from place to place.
In the Veneto, a region known for its rich sweet-baking tradition, the crostata found one of its most refined forms. Using raspberry jam — from a fruit that grows wild in the pre-Alpine foothills — is a perfect example of how traditional cooking makes the most of what the land gives. Raspberries, intense and slightly tart, were for centuries turned into preserves and jams that would last the whole year. Read more about raspberries and how they are grown.
Ingredients
- 300 g Raspberry Jam
- 300 g type 00 flour
- 150 g butter at room temperature
- 150 g caster sugar
- 2 medium eggs
- 1 egg yolk
- Zest of 1 unwaxed lemon
- 1 sachet of baking powder
- 1 pinch of salt
Method
- In a large bowl, beat the softened butter with the sugar until creamy and light
- Add the eggs one at a time, then the yolk, mixing well after each addition
- Fold in the flour sifted with the baking powder, the pinch of salt and the grated lemon zest
- Work the dough quickly into a smooth ball, wrap it in cling film and chill for 30 minutes
- Roll out two thirds of the pastry into a buttered and floured tin, then prick the base with a fork
- Spoon in the raspberry jam and spread it evenly over the base
- Cut the remaining pastry into strips and lay the classic lattice over the top
- Bake at 180°C for 25-30 minutes, until the tart is golden
Wine and Beer Pairings
The raspberry is the tartest of the red fruits, and that changes the pairing: a sweet wine is not enough on its own, it needs acidity of its own or it will taste syrupy next to the jam. The dessert rule still holds — never a dry wine in front of sugar — but here the balance is what really counts.
Recommended Dessert Wine
Recioto della Valpolicella — Tenuta Trabucchi — Dried Valpolicella grapes give a sweet red with sour cherry and blackberry up front and a freshness that survives the drying: it is that freshness which meets the raspberry's acidity instead of colliding with it. The tannin, barely there, clears the butter of the pastry. Serve at 14-16 °C, in a medium glass.
Want to know the wine better? our guide to Valpolicella
The White Passito Route
Redavide Passito Veneto Bianco I.G.T. — Dama del Rovere — A white passito changes the register entirely: ripe yellow fruit and honey lay a sweet floor under the raspberry's acidity, rather like whipped cream set beside the jam. Gentler than the Recioto, it also drinks well on its own at the end of a meal. Serve at 10-12 °C.
Craft Beer as an Alternative
Bratty Blanche Beer — Belgian wheat beer — The Belgian blanche brings coriander and citrus, two notes that work on raspberry the way lemon zest works on fruit: they wake it up. A light body and a fine bubble clear the pastry from the mouth without filling you up. Serve at 5-6 °C.
Want to know the style better? wheat beers
What to Serve Alongside
For a complete tasting, serve the tart with Yeast-Free Extra Virgin Olive Oil Crackers: their neutrality makes them a good base for small finger-food portions of tart at a sweet aperitivo.
Variations and Tips
- For a richer version, add lightly crushed fresh raspberries to the jam
- Try flavouring the pastry with vanilla or cinnamon for a more complex scent
- If you prefer a less sweet tart, cut the sugar in the dough by 20%
- For a professional finish, brush the pastry strips with egg yolk before baking
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does the tart keep?
The tart keeps in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days. To keep it longer, store it in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Can I freeze the tart?
Yes, both the raw pastry and the baked tart can be frozen. Freeze the raw pastry as a block; let a baked tart cool completely before freezing.
Can I use other jams?
Absolutely. This recipe works with any jam. The best choices are red fruit, apricot or peach, which have a good balance between sweet and tart.
