The art of the jam-filled crostata is easy to master, and it’s a pantry dessert you can always rely on.

Our love of crostata knows no bounds: it’s a delicious dessert that can be whipped up at a moment’s notice, and it’s delightfully rustic and low-pressure. One of the best things about this sweet, though, is that we almost always have everything in the cabinet already to whip it up - especially if it’s filled with jam or preserves.

A crostata is essentially an Italian version of what the French would call a galette: a flat, free-form pie. It may be baked in a pie pan too, often seen with a simple cross-hatch topping of crust, but we love the rustic and fuss-free style of baking it right on a sheet pan.

In Italy, the crostata is ubiquitously beloved. Not only is it a timeless dessert option, but it’s adored as a breakfast item as well. The possibilities of what you can fill it with are endless: chocolate, fresh fruit, custard… but the most classic filling for a traditional crostata is jam and preserves.

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Any jam will suit a crostata, but the most classic filling - and the one you’re likely to see lining the bakery cases in Italy - is apricot.

In a dessert this simple, the jam has to really shine. Use high quality preserves and avoid commercial jellies - it’s the star of the show, after all! It’s the perfect opportunity to either show off something homemade, or utilize a really fantastic product (our pick is straight from the source - preserves from Agrimontana in the north of Italy!)