These delicate fruit tarts, filled with glossy pastry cream and adorned with fresh fruit, are a constant in every pastry shop in Italy. They come in different sizes, from the miniature crostatine you could devour in a single bite, to the larger crostate di frutta you might bring when visiting your future in-laws for the first time, to make a good impression.
The fruit on top changes according to the season. For spring and early summer, that means fresh, ripe strawberries. The tiny, intoxicatingly aromatic wild strawberries, which come earlier in the season, are my favorites. Pair them with fresh herbs for an interesting botanical note.
