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Crostata di visciole is a lattice-topped sour cherry tart from Rome and the Lazio region. The pasta frolla is buttery and short, and the filling is sharp enough to balance it. This version bakes for 40 minutes at 180 C / 350 F.
Visciole are small wild sour cherries, and their tang is the point of the dish. The crust is sweet, the jam is acidic, and the two balance each other without any cream.
I use jarred sour cherry preserves, since fresh visciole are hard to find outside Italy. Choose a thick jam. If it runs off the spoon in a ribbon, simmer it for 5 minutes first, or it will bubble over and leave the bottom crust soft.
You’ll chill the dough for 60 minutes and cool the baked tart for another 60 before slicing. The tart keeps for 2 days on the counter, so it works as a make-ahead Italian fruit tart.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Hands-on time is only 25 minutes, mostly rolling
- The dough keeps in the fridge for up to 2 days
- One jar of preserves and basic baking staples do the work
- Sharp cherry filling cuts the butter in the crust
Ingredient Notes
- sour cherry preserves: Look for visciole, Morello, or amarena preserves with a thick, spoonable set. Sweet cherry jam works if you raise the lemon juice to 2 tbsp.
- unsalted butter: Keep it cold and cubed. Salted butter works if you cut the fine salt in the dough to a tiny pinch.
- all-purpose flour: Italian 00 flour also works and gives a slightly finer crumb. Don’t use bread flour, which makes the crust chewy.
- lemon: The zest flavors the dough and the juice brightens the jam. One medium lemon covers both.
Crostata di Visciole: Sour Cherry Tart with Lattice Top
Ingredients
Method
- Whisk the flour, sugar, salt, and lemon zest in a mixing bowl. Rub in the cold butter with your fingertips for 3 to 4 minutes, until the mixture looks like damp sand.
- Add the whole egg and 1 yolk and press until the dough just holds together. Don't knead it, since overworking makes the crust tough. Shape into a disk, cut off one-third, wrap both pieces, and chill for 60 minutes.
- Heat the oven to 180 C / 350 F with a rack in the lower third. Roll the larger piece between two sheets of parchment to 4 mm thick. Lay it in a 24 cm / 9.5-inch fluted tart pan with a removable bottom, press into the corners, trim the overhang flush, and prick the base with a fork.
- Stir the lemon juice into the preserves. If the jam pours off the spoon in a ribbon, simmer it in a 2-quart / 1.9 L saucepan for 5 minutes and let it cool while you roll the lattice. Spread the jam in an even layer about 8 mm deep.
- Roll the smaller piece with the trimmings to 4 mm and cut 8 to 10 strips about 1.5 cm wide. Lay half across the jam, then lay the rest at an angle to form a diamond lattice. Press the ends into the rim, trim, and patch any tears. Whisk the remaining yolk with the milk and brush it over the lattice and rim.
- Bake for 40 minutes, until the pastry is deep golden and the jam bubbles slowly in the gaps. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 60 minutes, then unmold, dust with powdered sugar if you like, and slice.
Notes
- Make the dough up to 2 days ahead and keep it wrapped in the fridge.
- Use a tart pan with a removable bottom so unmolding is clean.
- Press dough into the pan corners so the shell has even thickness.
- Patch any torn lattice strips with a fingertip of dough before baking.
Tips for Success
- Rub the cold butter into the flour quickly with your fingertips so the pastry bakes short and crumbly instead of greasy.
- Chill the dough for at least 60 minutes, or up to 2 days, so it relaxes and the shell doesn’t shrink in the pan.
- Spread the jam in an even layer about 8 mm deep, which leaves headroom for bubbling without it escaping over the rim.
- Brush the egg wash on the lattice and rim only, not on the jam, so the pastry browns evenly.
- Cool the tart a full 60 minutes in the pan before unmolding, because the jam sets as it cools and the slices hold.
Variations
- Spread 250 g sweetened ricotta over the base before the jam for the Roman Jewish quarter version, crostata ricotta e visciole.
- Replace 40 g of the flour with finely ground almonds for a more tender, nutty crust that pairs well with cherry.
- Use plum or apricot preserves in place of cherry, and keep the lemon juice at 1 tbsp for a softer, rounder filling.
Storage and Reheating
Crostata di visciole keeps for 2 days at room temperature, loosely covered with a clean towel or foil, and up to 5 days in the fridge in an airtight container. The thick jam seals the filling, so it stays moist.
To refresh a chilled slice, warm it on a sheet pan at 150 C / 300 F for 8 minutes, then let it sit for 5 minutes. Cold from the fridge, the pastry is firm and the jam tastes dull, so bring slices to room temperature before serving.
For make-ahead baking, wrap the unbaked dough disks and freeze them for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge. Freeze the dough, not the baked tart, since the lattice softens after thawing.
Serving Suggestions
Crostata di visciole is best served at room temperature in thin wedges with espresso or a small glass of Vin Santo. Cut it only after the 60-minute cool so the jam sets and the slices keep clean edges. Wipe the knife between cuts.
A spoonful of lightly sweetened ricotta or whipped mascarpone softens the sharp cherry. After dinner, a small scoop of vanilla gelato works too.
Dust with powdered sugar just before serving. Do it earlier and the sugar dissolves into the pastry and leaves blotches.
FAQ
Why did the jam bubble over and leave my crostata di visciole bottom soft?
The jam was too loose. Thin preserves boil out under the lattice and steam the base instead of letting it bake crisp. Use a thick jam, or simmer it for 5 minutes and cool it before filling, and set the tart on a lower oven rack so the bottom crust browns.
Can I use regular cherry jam instead of visciole preserves?
Yes, but sweet cherry jam needs more acid. Raise the lemon juice from 1 tbsp to 2 tbsp and check that the jam is thick. Morello or amarena preserves are the closest match to visciole, while sweet Bing jam bakes up flatter and sweeter.
Can I freeze crostata di visciole dough or the baked tart?
Freeze the dough, not the baked tart. A wrapped disk keeps for 3 months and thaws overnight in the fridge. The baked tart softens at the lattice after thawing, so keep it at room temperature for 2 days or in the fridge for up to 5 days.
What goes well with crostata di visciole?
Espresso, Vin Santo, or a spoonful of lightly sweetened ricotta suit it best. The ricotta softens the sharp cherry and echoes the Roman habit of pairing the two. A small scoop of vanilla gelato also works after dinner. Skip heavy sauces, since the tart’s acidity is the point.
What is the difference between crostata di visciole and crostata ricotta e visciole?
Crostata di visciole has only cherry preserves under the lattice, while crostata ricotta e visciole adds a layer of sweetened sheep’s milk ricotta. The ricotta version is rooted in Rome’s Jewish quarter and tastes closer to cheesecake. Both use the same pasta frolla and sour cherry filling.
How do I make crostata di visciole dairy free?
Swap the butter for the same weight of firm plant-based baking butter and use plant milk for the egg wash. Choose a block-style product, not a soft spread, or the dough turns greasy. The tart still contains gluten and eggs.
