Insanely gorgeous apple pie with raspberries, a sesame crust, a lattice top, and a juicy ruby filling. A delicious way to use your sweet summer berries, and it works great with frozen raspberries too. You can also use your favorite plain pie crust.
What is a crostata?
A crostata is basically Italian for pie, so this is technically a raspberry apple pie.
In Spanish it makes us think of crusty and crunchy top, which is exactly what you get from a good lattice pie.
The word crostata is also used for a galette, which is a free-form tart where no pie pan is used and the dough is simply folded over the fruit in the border and leaving a round opening in the middle, such as in the grape and brie galette.
I should’ve started making this pie yesterday and letting it cool completely, even refrigerate it for a few hours, before cutting it, but hey, there were pictures to be taken and a post to be scheduled. A food blogger’s daily issues, having to eat this raspberry apple crostata still warm. Tough day.
This crostata recipe was made with figs originally, but I decided to make a 180° turn and use apples and raspberries. The berries are frozen since it's the middle of winter here in Buenos Aires.
Sesame dough
Though I have added this and that to doughs before, this one has sesame seeds, an ingredient I use a lot but never in this way. Let me tell you about the crunchiness the seeds generate after being baked! A fantastic idea it turned out to be.
Top dough tips
- The dough is much more rustic than say, a regular sweet pie dough. That means it will break more (images 1 & 2) and you'll need to handle it differently because of that. I find it easier to line the pan in parts, which is no issue really since pie dough can be patched up easily.
- As with all doughs, keep it cold until the moment you need to roll it. And then refrigerate the lined pan (image 3), or better yet, freeze it. It's easier and faster.
- Lattice: I recommend you roll it, cut it on a board (image 4) and take it back to the fridge for a few minutes for it to harden and lift up easily. That way you'll end up with less broken strips. If that happens they can be patched together. Look at my lattice and see how it is patched up. And then feel like you can't make a more rustic or irregular lattice, haha!
Food processor crust
I made this dough in the food processor from beginning to end, as I do with all doughs.
It comes together in a few minutes; it takes longer to toast and measure the ingredients. And like all pie doughs, it has to be admitted to the refrigerator before rolling it and fitting into the pan. It has to do with using all butter and letting the dough relax after the stress of being swirled in the processor.
And it turned out to be slightly crumbly like a peanut butter cookie dough sometimes is.
But no biggie, just patch it up if it breaks while trying to fit it into the pie plate. You won’t have to use pie weights, or pre-bake it, so there will be no shrinking of the dough. The whole thing is assembled - raw dough and cooked ruby-colored filling - and then chilled before going into the oven.
Apple raspberry filling
Mixing apples and raspberries was a last moment idea because I didn't want to make an apple pie. I wanted it to be more colorful and add something different the same way the sesame was already contributing to the crust.
Well, it was a winning combination! Not only the color is fantastic, but the two fruits work wonders together.
The amounts given in the recipe can be varied, more of this or less of that. Take into account the liquid in them, especially if the raspberries are frozen.
Lattice topping
The lattice itself can be made any way you want, as long as there are spaces of open filling between the stripes.
My stripes are thick, irregular, and more an act of faith than technique. For me, it's all about the recipe and the flavor.
But, you may want to spend time cutting perfect strips and refrigerating them for just the right amount of time so they don't get too cold that they brake, but cold enough so they lie in perfect lines on top of the still warm raspberry apple filling. Go for it, it will make a gorgeous pie!
Or omit stripes and go all-in with stars, hearts, braids, and so on. Whatever is your jam.
What else can I tell you about this crostata? Oh yes, it’s as good as it looks. So I hope it looks good.
I have a rustic idea about lattice pies the same way I do for galettes, like this strawberry one. I don’t mind if there are uneven strips of dough on top, just like I don’t mind what shape the galette sides have. Whatever way your strips look, fine.
Variations
- Make individual pies.
- Make a galette, on a pie plate. A galette is a free-form pie, where the dough isn't fitted into a pan. That sounds counter-intuitive, but what I mean is to use the pie plate as a container because the dough is crumbly. But don't make a lattice or care about the sides. Simply fold the hanging dough inward over some of the filling. If it leaks you have the pie pan as a safety net.
Related recipes you might like:
Let me know in the comments below if you made this recipe and loved it and if you had issues so we can troubleshoot together. I love to hear what you think, always. Thanks for being here. It's much appreciated.
You might also consider subscribing to our FREE Baking the Best email series and our regular newsletter. Or connect via Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest.
Raspberry Apple Pie (Crostata)
Insanely gorgeous Raspberry Apple Pie, with a sesame crust, a lattice top, and a juicy ruby filling. A delicious way to use your summer berries, but it works great with frozen raspberries!
- Total Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings
Ingredients
For the dough:
- ¾ cup whole almonds (toasted and cooled, optional)
- ½ cup sesame seeds (toasted and cooled, optional)
- ½ cup (100g) of sugar
- 2 cups (270g) all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 8 oz (1 cup or 225g) unsalted butter, cold and cut into pieces
- 2 large eggs
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
For the filling:
- 1 pound (450g) granny smith apples, about 5, peeled, cored and cut into chunks
- ½ pound (225g) fresh or frozen raspberries
- ½ cup (100g) light brown sugar
- ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons flour
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 1 tablespoon butter
- A few tablespoons light brown sugar (for sprinkling the dough)
Instructions
For the dough:
- Lightly toast seeds and almonds, being careful not to burn them. Let them cool. You can use them raw, but toasting develops a great flavor.
- Food processor: put both in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade, and add 1 tablespoon of the sugar. Process until medium ground.
- Add the rest of the sugar, flour, cinnamon and salt and process until well blended.
- Scatter cold, diced butter on top and process until it looks like coarse sand.
- Mix eggs in a bowl with the vanilla and add to the flour mixture.
- Process until it starts to come together, about 10 to 15 seconds. Don’t let it turn into a ball.
- By hand: follow the same process as with the food processor, but mix ingredients in a bowl. Integrate the butter with your hands or a pastry cutter, which you can buy online.
- For both ways: transfer the shaggy mass onto a lightly floured counter.
- Gather into a ball touching the dough as little as possible.
- Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 1 hour or more.
- When you have the filling cooling, take the dough from the refrigerator and divide it into two uneven pieces (â…” and â…“). Keep the smaller piece refrigerated, covered, while you roll the other one.
- Roll the large piece to about ¼ of an inch, using additional flour to prevent sticking.
- Transfer to a 9-inch (24cm) pie plate, with removable bottom is best. Without stretching it, make it fit in the pan, removing excess dough. You may need to patch it or do it in parts as this dough is very crumbly.
- Add the filling and spread to cover the whole pan.
- Roll the small piece of dough on a lightly floured surface and cut strips with a pizza cutter.
- Make a lattice over the filling, adding strips one way and then the other. Press where the strips meet the bottom dough to adhere.
- Freeze the assembled pie for 10-15 minutes (or refrigerate for 30 minutes if you have no other option).
- Preheat oven to 350ºF/180°C.
- Take the pie from the freezer, sprinkle a few tablespoons of extra sugar on top of the lattice, and bake the pie for about 40 minutes, until golden and the filling is bubbly.
- Let cool completely on wire rack. Serve with a dollop of whipped cream if you want to.
- Refrigerate leftovers, covered.
For the filling:
- In a large saucepan, put all filling ingredients and cook over low heat until butter melts and fruit begins to release their juices, about 5 minutes. As soon as it bubbles remove from heat.
- If not using immediately, keep refrigerated, covered, for a few days.
Notes
- The dough is much more rustic than say, a regular sweet pie dough. That means it will break more (image above) and you'll need to handle it differently because of that. I find it easier to line the pan in parts, which is no issue really since pie dough can be patched up easily.
- As with all doughs, keep it cold until the moment you need to roll it. And then refrigerate the lined pan, or better yet, freeze it. It's easier and faster.
- Lattice: I recommend you roll it on a wooden board, cut the strips and take it back to the fridge for a few minutes for it to harden and lift up easily. That way you'll end up with less broken strips. But they can easily be patched together. Look at my lattice and see how it is patched up. And then feel like you can't make a more rustic or irregular lattice, haha!
- The amounts given in the recipe can be varied, more of this less of that. Take into account the liquid in them, especially if the raspberries are frozen.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Pie crust making: 90 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Pies & Tarts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: International
Felicia Lim says
Hola Paula!! Loved this post! I posted a comment and it seemed to have got deleted. Anyway, just wanted to tell you that everytime I read your blog, you have me drooling away, not just because of the ingredients and recipes, but also because you take such gorgeous photos! I'd so so love to learn and bake with you in your kitchen one day!! And then have tea too! te mando un beso!!
Felicia Lim says
Paula! Hola!! Everytime I read your posts, I end up drooling, not just for the ingredients and the recipe, but also because of your beautiful photos! I'd sooo love to bake with you one day and learn from you! : ) Te mando un beso!!
wp_vknotes_admin says
Hola Felicia, cuándo quieras cocinamos! aunque estoy por mudarme pronto asà que tendrÃamos que ver dónde...
Lora CakeDuchess says
so, so pretty Paula. I'm a sucker for crostatas. I always make my mother-in-law's dough and it's just the basic flour and butter combo. This recipe is so interesting and I will have to venture over and try it. Your photos are gorgeous!
Monet says
This looks delicious! I love all the seeds in this crust. I'm sure the crunch is just delightful. Thank you for sharing with me!
yummychunklet says
Lovely looking crust and filling!
gfcelebration says
What a beautiful crostata. Fabulous color and stunning photography.
Karen (Back Road Journal) says
Love the color of your beautiful pie. The apples in our orchard will be ready for picking soon. I'll definitely have to try this recipe.
Cocoa and Lavender says
Gorgeous, Paula! I have never had apples and raspberries together - and now I am wondering why I never thought of it! The photos are gorgeous - and the dough sounds amazing. While Dorie wanted you to make a fig crostata - I think this one sounds more interesting! ~ David
saucygander says
Your photos are so beautiful, and the crostata looks just as I imagine good crostatas should look like, a little crumbly, golden, with good fruit underneath. I also made the crostata, and was very happy with the sesame and almond combination.
Jamie says
I have so been in the mood to make a berry crostata or galette or something similar before berry season is over. I love lattice tops on pies, they are so pretty and inviting! My husband loves fruit crostatas for breakfast... and then I eat slices throughout the rest of the day. Thanks for the inspiration!
anna @ annamayeveryday says
This looks delicious, quite mouthwatering! I love a fruit tart, nothing better especially with the great fruit at this time of year.
Jeannie Tay says
Oh my! I love the look of the crust, so nutty and scrumptious but I have a feeling I would make a mess getting it into the mould:P You managed to make it so gorgeous!
Guru Uru says
Raspberry? You know my weakness - need to eat this crostata 😀
Cheers
CCU
Abbe@This is How I Cook says
Well, I can't say that I'm noticing how uneven those stripes are. I am noticing how good this looks. Marvelous, Paula!
Winnie says
So beautiful! I may give it a go this weekend 😉
Karen Kerr says
Simply stunning Paula. I love the substitution of apples. (said from another ingredient hoarder).
Pelusa says
Esta deliciosa la crostata, me guardas un poquito o llegue muy tarde??
Marlise says
Beautiful crostata. I like the rustic look. Great job!
vanillasugarblog says
Gorgeous photo!
I plan on doing at least one more peach pie this summer!
Sweet and That's it says
Your pictures are fantastic! All of them! And your crostata is wonderful.
I plan to bake it soon and I probably will replace the figs as well.
Yumm! May I have a piece? Please, pleaseeee
I'll send you over some cobbler 🙂