Crostata di marmellata is a delicious jam-filled pastry. 

“Oh my, how I love crostata di marmellata. I have been known to eat it for breakfast!” says Tanya Bartolini. This glorious sweet treat is just divine with a good coffee or tea. 

Tanya recalls, “I have very fond memories of eating this at my Zia Angela’s place in Italy. Homemade pastry filled with homemade fig jam: so perfect that it looked as if it had come straight from a professional kitchen”.

Tanya has shared her simple version with us – “Yes, it involves pastry making but you can buy the jam from supermarkets.”

“Thank you Italy for introducing me to such a wonderful pastry delight!”

Ingredients:

Serves 8

• 2½ cups 00 flour (a type of Italian flour)
• ½ cup caster sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ cup butter, softened
• 1 egg
• 2 egg yolks
• 1 cup raspberry jam 

Method:

1. Sift flour, sugar and baking powder into a large mixing bowl. Make a well in the centre and add softened butter and eggs. Using two butter knives and a cutting action, mix the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. (It is better to use knives as hands release to much heat into the dough.) Continue blending with a cutting action until your mixture resembles coarse meal or large breadcrumbs.

2. Tip the dough mixture onto a floured work surface and knead for 2 to 3 minutes. Form the dough into a ball, flatten slightly and then wrap in cling film. Refrigerate for 1 hour.

3. Preheat a fan-forced oven to 180 degrees Celsius.

4. Roll the dough on a floured work surface, forming a rough rectangle about 1cm thick.

5. Keep some of the dough aside to create the lattice work decoration on the top of the crostata. 

6. Using your fingers, pinch the sides of the dough to create an edge. This will hold the jam in place. Cover the dough’s base with jam.

7. With the extra dough, roll out flat (about 1cm thick) and cut strips. Place the strips, one at a time, to create a lattice work effect on top of the crostata.

8. Bake in oven for about 20 minutes, until the pastry is a lovely golden brown colour. Allow to cool.

About Tanya Bartolini: Although Tanya Bartolini spent 14 years in accounting and finance, true satisfaction was always found in the kitchen. It wasn’t until the birth of her first son in 2012 that she realised what had seemed important before was no longer a priority and with that, Tanya decided to embrace her passion for food and family. In doing this, she has explored her family’s rich Italian history and written a book that shares her family’s precious recipes. Through her book, Blending The Cultures, featuring hearty recipes that blend the Italian and Australian way of living and eating, she hopes to encourage others to create memorable moments for themselves by cooking and sharing meals together. Tanya has also established a website – The Kitchen Bench – as a forum for everyday cooks just like herself to share wholesome, simple and healthy cooking.

“Nonna Ida makes the best crumbed chicken and it wasn’t until recently that I discovered the exact reason why. My son absolutely loves this dish,” says Tanya Bartolini. Read on for Nonna’s secret ingredient…

Ingredients:

Serves 4

• 2 large chicken breasts (preferably free range)
• 3 eggs
• ¼ cup Scotch whisky
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 2 cups dried breadcrumbs
• ½ cup parmesan cheese
• 1 tablespoon powdered chicken stock
• extra virgin olive oil

Method:
1. Thinly slice the chicken breasts (about 3-4 pieces per breast). Use a meat tenderiser to lightly hammer each piece thin.

2. Marinate the chicken: place in a bowl with eggs, scotch and garlic whisked together. Place the marinating chicken in the refrigerator for 1 hour.

3. Place breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese and chicken stock in a bowl and combine. Remove a piece of chicken from the egg mixture and place in the breadcrumbs, thoroughly coating the chicken. Transfer to a plate and continue until all pieces of chicken are crumbed.

4. Heat olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Once the pan comes to temperature (breadcrumbs will bubble when dropped in), place chicken pieces in the pan. Cook on one side until golden brown, then turn and repeat. Once cooked, transfer chicken to a plate covered in paper towel. Repeat until all pieces of chicken are cooked.

This dish is best served warm and golden and crunchy. 

About Tanya Bartolini: Although Tanya Bartolini spent 14 years in accounting and finance, true satisfaction was always found in the kitchen. It wasn’t until the birth of her first son in 2012 that she realised what had seemed important before was no longer a priority and with that, Tanya decided to embrace her passion for food and family. In doing this, she has explored her family’s rich Italian history and written a book that shares her family’s precious recipes. Through her book, Blending The Cultures, featuring hearty recipes that blend the Italian and Australian way of living and eating, she hopes to encourage others to create memorable moments for themselves by cooking and sharing meals together. Tanya has also established a website – The Kitchen Bench – as a forum for everyday cooks just like herself to share wholesome, simple and healthy cooking.