Easy Italian Apple Tart Pie Recipe {Crostata di Mele}

5 from 1 vote

Easy Italian Apple Tart Pie Recipe {Crostata di Mele}

If you’re craving a crostata di mele (apple tart) that’s bursting with sweet, tender apple slices and a buttery, melt-in-your-mouth crust, you’re in for a treat.

This is a classic apple cake that's easy to make, the whole family will love and made even more stylish with a lattice pastry topping. Serve with warm custard or a scoop of ice cream, and you'll fall in love!

Prep Time20

Cook Time55

Total Time1 15

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: apple cake, apple dessert, apple pie, apple pudding, apple tart, crostata di mele

Servings: people

Calories: 400kcal

Author: Vikkie Lee

Equipment

Ingredients

Pastry

450 g Plain flour + more for dusting (All Purpose flour)
225 g Unsalted butter Cold & diced
170 g Caster sugar
Pinch salt
3 eggs whole
1 Lemon zest
1 teaspoon Baking powder
1 teaspoon Vanilla extract

Apple Tart Filling

6 Eating apples Granny Smith, Cox. etc (cored and peeled - 800g prepared weight)
1 Lemon juice
3 tablespoon Light brown soft sugar
1 teaspoon Ground cinnamon

Instructions

Pastry

In a large bowl or food processor, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and lemon zest.
Then rub in the chilled diced butter with your fingertips (or using a paddle in a food processor) until the mix looks like coarse crumbs.
450 g Plain flour, 225 g Unsalted butter, 170 g Caster sugar, 1 Lemon zest, 1 teaspoon Baking powder, Pinch salt
Add the eggs and vanilla extract. Mix with a fork, hands or food processor until the dough starts to come together.
If it feels tacky, add a pinch more flour. If too dry, add a splash of water, milk or Amaretto/rum if desired.
3 eggs, 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
Shape the dough into a ball and wrap in cling film, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or overnight if you wish.
Meanwhile, peel, core, and thinly slice the apples about 3-4 mm thick, and toss them in lemon juice, brown sugar, and cinnamon and set aside.
6 Eating apples, 1 Lemon juice, 3 tablespoon Light brown soft sugar, 1 teaspoon Ground cinnamon
Make the Tart
Preheat your oven to 180°C, 160°C fan, gas mark 4 or 350 °F. Then grease your tart pan or ceramic quiche dish with butter.
Roll the dough into a sausage shape and cut off a quarter for the lattice top, and set aside.
Shape the dough into a disc shape and roll out with a rolling pin on a lightly floured surface until it is 5mm larger than the diameter of the tart pan.
Then lift the dough with your rolling pin and carefully transfer it to the pan, and gently into the pan, pressing into the corners and sides so the pastry is slightly taller than the pan. Patch up any holes - this Italian pastry is forgiving!
Arrange the apple slices inside the pastry in any upright or overlapped fashion you wish.
I start from the outer edges and work my way around to form a rose style. And drizzle any of the apple juices on top.

Lattice Top

Roll the pastry into a round or rectangle to 5mm thick, then using a zig zag pastry cutting wheel, cut 1" strips to cover the pie, overlapping them in a criss cross pattern.
Now fold the taller edges of the pastry all around, while also covering the edges of the lattice ends and press down.
Brush the pastry with a beaten egg or milk for a golden finish.
Bake in the oven for 50-60 minutes until the pastry is golden. If it browns too quickly, cover with tin foil and continue baking.

Nutrition