This is actually almost Noni’s Crostada. Noni never used a recipe and never measured! Yet, somehow she had consistent quality in her soups, sauces, pastas and sweets. I never took notes when I watched her prepare things in her kitchen, I just sorta took it all in!
It was years after she passed, tasting Olive Garden’s too soft, too sweet, but just reminiscent enough of her crostada that I set out to rediscover my grandmother's sweet treat!
This recipe is a combination of recipes from cookbooks and online with a liberal application of my own memories from my years as her helper in the kitchen. There was a lot of trial and error, and maybe a little intervention from beyond?
The last time I tweaked the recipe, alone in the kitchen, I was sure I heard Noni’s voice say “no so sweet!” as I dipped the measuring cup back in the sugar. It spooked me, so I put the cup down and did not add the addition 1/4 cup I was going to add.
Whether it was a gift from beyond, an over active imagination or my subconscious telling me something I needed to remember, when the baking was done, I had the flavor and texture of Noni’s crostada! Younger family members who’d forgotten her crostada tasted it and said “OH! I remember!!”
Noni’s Crostada
2 1/2 cups flour
5 TBS butter
5 TBS shortening
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
pinch of salt
1 14-16 oz jar of jam or preserves
To make the pastry:
In a bowl, cut the butter and shortening into the flour until the mixture looks like fine bread crumbs. Add the sugar, eggs and salt and knead it quickly until it forms into a dough. Flatten the dough into a disk shape and refrigerate it wrapped in plastic for an hour.
After removing the dough from the refrigerator, preheat the oven to 375º.
Break off about a quarter of the dough and set aside. On a floured surface, roll the dough thin and cover the bottom of a 9” tart pan with it.
Generously spoon the jam on top of the dough.
Roll the remaining dough thin and cut it in strips. Create a lattice pattern on top of the jam. Optional - use whatever dough is left to roll out and make a shape for the center using the cookie cutter of your choice.
Bake for about 40 minutes, or until the pastry is golden. Allow to cool before serving.
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