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This Italian blueberry crostata recipe is an easy and simple dessert. Also known as a galette, this rustic pie is made with a homemade pie crust and can be made with fresh or frozen blueberries.
I love making easy desserts for family gatherings or during the holiday season. It's nice to have a quick, homemade dessert that isn't overly complicated.
This easy Italian blueberry crostata is a rustic style pie that is made on a sheet pan instead of in a pie tin. It's not overly sweet and is perfectly finished off with a dollop of freshly whipped cream.
Serve this simple Italian blueberry crostata this Summer with pasta made with hidden veggie sauce, homemade sloppy joes or with st louis ribs, hot off of the grill.
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🫐 Ingredient notes
- Pie Crust - This homemade pie dough recipe is my go to for homemade crust. Store bought pie dough can be used. You will need enough for one 9 inch pie.
- Blueberries - Either fresh or frozen blueberries may be used for the filling. Frozen blueberries do not need to be defrosted before hand.
- Egg Wash - The egg mixed with water creates an egg wash that is brushed on the outside of the pie crust before baking. It helps the sugar adhere to the crust and provide a nice shiny, golden color. For an egg free option, plain milk may be used instead.
- Turbinado Sugar - Turbinado sugar is a raw form of sugar that comes from the first pressing of sugar cane. It has more molasses and natural flavor and nice crunchy texture. This is used on the outside of the crust to provide a bit of sweetness and texture. Granulated sugar may also be used instead, but will not have as much texture.
📋 Substitutions and variations
- Fruit - Substitute the blueberries in this Italian crostata recipe for another fruit or combination of fruits. Strawberries, peaches, raspberries, pears, cherries or blackberries would all be good.
- Toppings - Instead of whipped cream, powdered sugar or ice cream would be other great toppings for this Italian blueberry crostata recipe.
- Gluten Free - A gluten free pie dough can be used to make this recipe gluten free.
- Dairy Free - Substitute the butter for dairy free butter in the pie crust or use a dairy free pie dough and dairy free whipped cream.
🥣 Step by step instructions
First, pulse together the flour, salt and cold butter in a food processor until the butter is incorporated and broken into small pieces. Add the ice water a tablespoon at a time, pulsing after each addition until the pie dough just starts to come together.
Place the pie dough mixture in a kitchen or tea towel and twist it up to help it form a disc. Wrap the pie dough disc in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Roll the pie dough out into a large circle and place it on a lined sheet pan. In a mixing bowl, mix together the blueberries with sugar, lemon juice and zest, and cornstarch.
Pour the blueberry mixture into the middle of the pie dough and fold the edges up onto the blueberry mixture to form the crust. Brush the pie dough with the egg wash and sprinkle it with the turbinado sugar.
Bake the blueberry crostata in a 375˚ oven for 30 minutes until the filling is bubbly and the crust is golden brown. Let the crostata cool for about 10-15 minutes and then slice and serve with freshly whipped cream.
If you ever don't recognize a tool or skill that I mention, be sure to look it up in the Glossary of Cooking Terms and Definitions for more information.
⭐ Expert tips
- Make sure the ingredients are very cold for the pie crust and don't overwork the dough. This will make for the flakiest, most tender crust.
- Throughly mix the blueberry filling for the crostata so all of the flavors are incorporated evenly.
- Allow the crostata to cool for 10-15 minutes before slicing and serving so that the juices don't all run out when you cut into it. The crostata can be served slightly warm or room temperature.
⏲️ Make ahead instructions
The dough can be prepared up to 3 days ahead of time and stored tightly wrapped in plastic wrap in the refrigerator. Dough can also be wrapped in plastic wrap and stored in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Frozen dough should be thawed completely in the refrigerator. Dough that has been thawed or stored in the refrigerator for a while should be taken out 30 minutes before use to make rolling out easier.
🥡 Storage suggestions
Leftover Italian blueberry crostata will keep in the refrigerator for 3-5 days when stored in an airtight container and can be warmed up in the oven or microwave, if desired.
🍰 More easy dessert recipes
If you loved this Italian blueberry crostata recipe, check out these other easy dessert recipes that I know you will love too!
- Strawberry Rhubarb Cobbler
- Homemade Caramel Apple Sundaes
- Grilled Peaches with Mascarpone
- Chocolate Whiskey Brownies
Recipe
Italian Blueberry Crostata Recipe
Ingredients
Pie Crust
- 1 ¼ cup all purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 stick unsalted butter, cold
- 3-5 Tablespoons ice water
Blueberry Filling
- 1 pint fresh or frozen blueberries
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon zest
- 2 Tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 whole egg
- 1 Tablespoon water
- turbinado sugar
- whipped cream
Instructions
Pie Crust
- In a food processor, combine the flour, salt and cold butter and pulse until the butter is combined and broken into pieces the size of small pebbles.
- Add the ice water one tablespoon at a time, pulsing after each addition until the dough just starts to clump together.
- Pour the crumbly dough mixture into a kitchen or tea towel and wrap it up, twisting it at the top to help form a disc of dough.
- Wrap the pie dough disc in plastic wrap and chill it in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
- When the pie dough is done chilling, roll it out into a large circle that is approximately one quarter inch thick and place it on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper.
Blueberry Filling
- Preheat the oven to 375˚.
- In a mixing bowl, combine the blueberries, sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest and cornstarch and mix together so everything is well combined.
- Pour the filling into the middle of the pie dough and fold up the edges around the filling to form a crust.
- Scramble the egg and water together and brush the mixture on the pie dough and then sprinkle it with the turbinado sugar.
- Bake the blueberry crostata in the preheated oven for 30 minutes or until the filling is bubbly and the crust is golden brown.
- Allow the crostata to cool for 10-15 minutes and then slice and serve topped with freshly whipped cream, if desired.
Notes
- Make sure the ingredients for the pie crust are very cold and don't overwork the dough for the flakiest, most tender crust.
- Thoroughly mix the blueberry filling for the crostata so all of the flavors are incorporated evenly.
- Allow the crostata to cool for 10-15 minutes before slicing and serving so that the juices don't all run out when you cut into it. The crostata can be served slightly warm or room temperature.
Substitutions and Variations
- Crust - Store bought pie dough may be used instead of homemade.
- Blueberries - Fresh or frozen blueberries may be used. Frozen berries do not need to be thawed prior to use.
- Fruit - Substitute the blueberries another fruit or combination of fruits, such as strawberries, peaches, raspberries, pears, cherries or blackberries.
- Toppings - Powdered sugar or ice cream would be other great toppings.
- Gluten Free - Use gluten free pie dough.
- Dairy Free - Substitute the butter for dairy free butter in the pie crust or use a dairy free pie dough and dairy free whipped cream.
- Egg Free - Use milk to brush the pie dough instead of the egg wash.
- Turbinado Sugar - Granulated sugar can be used, but will have less texture.
Nancy
It says to add the sugar in the filling directions but there is no mention of sugar in the ingredients listing. So how much sugar is added to the blueberries??
Amanda
Hey Nancy, just 1/4 cup sugar goes in the filling.