Crostata di Marmellata: Proper Pasta Frolla and the Lattice Weave

In a large bowl, combine the flour, caster sugar, baking powder, salt, and lemon zest. Add the cold butter cubes and rub them into the flour mixture with your fingertips until the texture resembles coarse breadcrumbs with a few pea-sized pieces of butter remaining. Work quickly — warmth from your hands is the enemy here.

Add the whole egg and egg yolk. Mix with a fork, then switch to your hands and press the dough together just until it holds. Do not knead. The moment it comes together, stop.

Flatten the dough into a disc, wrap in cling film, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes (up to overnight). This rest is not optional — it relaxes the gluten and makes the dough easy to roll without shrinkage.

Preheat the oven to 175°C fan (190°C conventional). Lightly butter and flour a 24 cm tart tin with a removable base.

Remove the dough from the fridge. Cut off roughly one-third and set it aside (this is for the lattice). On a lightly floured surface, roll the larger piece into a circle about 5 mm thick and 28 cm across. If the dough cracks at the edges, let it sit for 2 minutes and try again — it just needs a moment to soften.

Drape the rolled dough over the tin and press it gently into the base and sides without stretching. Trim the overhang to about 1 cm and fold it inward to create a slightly thicker rim. Prick the base all over with a fork.

Spread the jam evenly over the base, leaving a 1 cm border around the edge. Do not overfill — the jam expands slightly as it heats.

Roll the remaining dough to about 4 mm thickness. Cut strips roughly 1.5 cm wide using a pastry wheel or sharp knife. Slide them onto a tray lined with baking paper and refrigerate for 10 minutes — cold strips hold their shape when lifted.

Lay half the strips across the tart in parallel, spacing them about 2 cm apart. Fold back every other strip, lay a cross-strip, then unfold the strips back. Repeat to complete the weave. Press the ends firmly into the pastry rim to anchor them, then trim any excess. An imperfect lattice is fine — it will still bake evenly.

Bake for 30–35 minutes until the pastry is golden brown. Watch the lattice strips rather than the jam — they are your best colour indicator. Remove from the oven and cool in the tin for at least 20 minutes before unmoulding. The jam will be molten straight out of the oven and needs time to set.

Serve at room temperature. The crostata keeps well at room temperature under a cloth or loose foil for up to 3 days, and actually improves on day two as the jam firms further into the pastry.