If you’re looking for the perfect summer dessert to impress your guests, this one’s a winner.
The talented duo behind Cucina Calabria, Cindy and Pasquale, have crafted a Strawberry and Rhubarb Crostata that’s equal parts rustic and refined.
With its golden, buttery crust and the sweet-tart combo of juicy strawberries and rhubarb, it’s the kind of dessert that disappears fast.
Serve it warm with a mascarpone or crème fraîche, and you’ll be racking up serious brownie points at your next get-together!
Strawberry & Rhubarb Crostata
Serves: 8
Preparation time: 30min
Total cooking time: 60min
Ingredients
500g rhubarb, rinsed and coarsely chopped
250g raw caster sugar
Thinly peeled rind and juice of 1 orange and 1⁄2 lemon
2 tsp finely grated ginger
1 tsp Pure Vanilla extract
200g strawberries, halved
For the pasta frolla (shortcrust pastry)
225g plain flour
2 tbsp sifted icing sugar
1 good pinch of salt
150g chilled unsalted butter, diced
Equipment
23cm tart tin with removable base
METHOD
Preparation
Preheat oven 180°C static setting
The filling
In a large saucepan, place rhubarb, strawberries, sugar, orange & lemon rinds and juices, grated ginger and vanilla extract.
Stir over medium-high heat until sugar dissolves, then bring to a boil and stir occasionally until the mixture is thick and jammy, approx. 10-15 minutes.
Allow to cool completely.
The Pasta Frolla
Mix flour, salt, icing sugar in a food processor then add the chilled butter. Use the pulse button to process. Don’t overwork the mixture – you are looking for the texture of coarse breadcrumbs. Sprinkle chilled water over the processed mixture and briefly mix on pulse until the mixture clings together. Don’t allow the mixture to form a ball.
Turn the dough onto a piece of cling wrap, press gently into a disc, wrap and refrigerate for 20 mins.
Once rested turn out onto a lightly floured surface. With a rolling pin, roll the pastry into a disc to fit a 23cm tart tin.
Once rolled, drape pastry over the rolling pin and gently ease it into the 23cm tart tin with removable base. Using fingertips press gently into the sides and bottom of the tin, without breaking the pastry. Lastly, roll the rolling pin over the top of the tart tin to remove the excess pastry.
Prick the base with a fork, about 12 times. Line the pastry case with baking paper and fill with pastry weights. Place the tart tin onto a baking tray.
Bake for 15 minutes
Remove from oven, remove the baking paper and weights, return to oven for another 10 mins.
Fill the tart case with completely with the cooled strawberry and rhubarb mixture and return to the oven for a further 15 mins.
Let it cook completely, and top with fresh strawberries.
Serving Suggestions
Serve with Mascarpone Cream or Crème Fraishe. Best eaten the day it is made [that’s going to be easy!].
If this dessert has you craving more delicious Italian flavours, why not check out Cucina Calabria’s cooking classes in Burradoo? Their classes are a fun, hands-on way to learn traditional Southern Italian recipes.
