Apple and Sultana Tart (Crostata di mele e uvetta)

This is one of my “Desert Island” dishes. I guess it’s because Mamma used to make this a lot when we were little ,and to me it still tastes of home and lazy Sundays snuggled up on the couch watching cartoons, fighting with my brother and my sister over the last slice of crostata. Legend has it that my brother Gianmarco once managed to snatch 14 slices all to himself and lived to tell the tale!

This is to show that cake is obviously good for you…

INGREDIENTS, serves 8

For the pastry (pasta frolla)

150 gr of cold butter cut into cubes

250 gr of plain flour

1 egg

120 gr of icing sugar

1 teaspoon of vanilla paste

finely grated zest of 1 lemon

Pulse all the ingredients with a food processor until you have wet crumbs. Tip them onto a floured bench, press the touch together with your hands, shape it into a ball. Wrap it in plastic film and rest in the fridge for 30 minutes.

For the filling:

Soak a couple of handfuls of sultanas in Marsala wine and slice up three apples and cook in a pot over a low flame with two table spoons of brown sugar, a tablespoon of butter and a splash of water. After 10 minutes add the sultanas and some of the soaking liquor as well as lemon zest and a cinnamon quill. Cook it together for 5 minutes, than pour the mixture onto a bowl I let it cool down.

1. Bring your oven to 170 degrees Celsius.

2. Grease and flour a tart case and put 3/4 of your chilled flattened pastry onto it, trying not to over handle it. Place the rest of the pastry back in the fridge.

3. Pierce the base with a fork and blind bake until it starts to turn golden.

4. Once the tart case is cooked and slightly cooled, pour in your apple mix and use the left over pastry to decorate the top of the tart. I always favour a criss-cross pattern. Sprinkle with flaked almonds and place in the oven for around 30 minutes.

Cool down before serving.