Fig Jam, ricotta and pistachio crostata combines three key ingredients in Sicilian cooking to create a simple yet elegant rustic, free form pie!
This recipe was inspired by a lovely jar of fig jam given to me by my dear friend Liliana at My Cookbook Addiction. This summer I was in Sicily way too early to enjoy fresh figs so I was thrilled when Liliana presented me with this gift. Cause when you can’t enjoy freshly picked figs from Sicily, homemade fig jam is the next best option!
I’m not a fan of toast with jam so I got right down to thinking of how to use it in a recipe. Figs, ricotta and pistachios are all key ingredients used in Sicilian cooking. So I decided to incorporate all three in a dessert that I am particularly fond of, crostatas!
A crostata, also called a galette, is basically a rustic, free form pie made with a flaky, buttery pie dough. I enjoy making crostatas because they are very forgiving and don’t require beautiful crimping as for a pie. Just fold the dough over the filling and bake!
And crostatas can be sweet or savory. Here are a couple of other crostata recipes you’ll find on my blog: Strawberry Rhubarb Crostata and Butternut Squash, Goat Cheese and Leek Crostata. 
The following are step by step instructions with images to guide you through this recipe. Please scroll to the end of this post for the detailed printable recipe card.
How to make Fig Jam, Ricotta and Pistachio Crostata:
Prepare the dough:
In the bowl of your food processor combine all-purpose flour; sugar and a pinch of salt. Add cold cubed butter and pulse until you have a crumbly mixture
With the motor running on low, pour ice cold water through the feeder. Mix until the dough wraps itself around the blade, as shown. This will take a few seconds.
Shape the dough into a disc, wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 30 minutes or up to an hour.
Prepare the filling:
Meanwhile prepare the ricotta filling. In a medium sized bowl combine ricotta; sugar; an egg and grated zest of 1 orange. Whisk until all ingredients are combined.
Assemble and bake:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Chop pistachios and set aside.
Remove the dough from the refrigerator. Place on a lightly floured counter and use a rolling pin to roll the dough into an approximate 14-inch circle. Transfer the dough to the prepared baking sheet by wrapping the dough around the rolling pin and carefully unrolling it on the parchment paper.
Spread the ricotta mixture over the dough leaving a 1.5 inch border on all sides.
Place dollops of fig jam over the ricotta. Top with chopped pistachios.
Fold the sides of the dough over the filling, gently pleating it in a circular fashion. Brush the dough with a beaten egg. 
Bake for 30 minutes or until the dough is golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely before serving. 
Tips and suggestions for making Fig Jam, Ricotta and Pistachio Crostata:
- I enjoy my ricotta filling lightly sweetened, however if you prefer a sweeter filling add up to 2 extra tablespoons of sugar to the ricotta mixture.
- Due to the ricotta, it is best to keep leftovers refrigerated for up to 3 days.
On handling the dough:
- For best results, make sure your butter and water are cold before adding to the flour. This will ensure a flaky textured crust.
- Avoid over handling the dough. The heat of your hands will melt the butter in the dough.
- If the dough is crumbly and too difficult to roll, shape into a disk once again and refrigerate for a few minutes longer.
Can a crostata be made without a food processor?
- If you don’t have a food processor the dough can be easily prepared by hand. Combine flour, sugar and salt in a bowl. Add the cubed butter and use your fingers, or a pastry cutter if you have one, to cut the butter into the flour until it resembles a crumbly mixture. Add the water and shape into a dough. Proceed as outlined above.
If you try out this recipe, please let me know how much you enjoyed it by rating it in the recipe card below. Feel free to Pin it for later. Buon appetito! 
Ingredients
For the dough:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- pinch of salt
- 2 tbsp. granulated sugar
- 1/4 lb cold butter cubed
- 2 tbsp. cold water
For the filling:
- 1 1/2 cups ricotta
- zest of 1 orange
- 2 tbsp. granulated sugar
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup fig jam
- 2 tbsp. chopped pistachios
For assembling the crostata
- 1 large egg for egg wash
Instructions
For the dough:
- In the bowl of your food processor fitted with a steel blade, mix the flour, sugar, and salt. Add the cubed butter and pulse until it has broken down and is the size of peas.
- With the motor running, add the ice water through the feed tube. Mix until a dough is formed and wraps itself around the blade. This will take just a few seconds.
- Shape the dough into a disk. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for about half an hour or up to an hour.
For the filling:
- In a medium-sized bowl combine the ricotta, orange zest, sugar and egg. Whisk all ingredients together until well combined.
To assemble:
- Preheat oven to 400F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Remove the dough from the refrigerator. Place on a lightly floured counter and use a rolling pin to roll the dough into an approximate 14-inch circle. Transfer the dough to the prepared baking sheet by wrapping the dough around the rolling pin and carefully unrolling it on the parchment paper.
- Spread the ricotta mixture in the centre of the dough, leaving a 1 1/2 inch border all around. Place dollops of fig jam over the ricotta. Sprinkle the filling with pistachios.
- Fold the border over the filling, gently pleating it into a circular shape. Brush the dough with the beaten egg.
- Bake for 30 minutes until the dough is golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely before serving.
Notes
- I enjoy my ricotta filling lightly sweetened, however if you prefer a sweeter filling add up to 2 extra tablespoons of sugar to the ricotta mixture.
- Due to the ricotta, it is best to keep leftovers refrigerated for up to 3 days.
On handling the dough:
- For best results, make sure your butter and water are cold before adding to the flour. This will ensure a flaky textured crust.
- Avoid over handling the dough. The heat of your hands will melt the butter in the dough.
- If the dough is crumbly and too difficult to roll, shape into a disk once again and refrigerate for a few minutes longer.
Can a crostata be made without a food processor?
- If you don’t have a food processor the dough can be easily prepared by hand. Combine flour, sugar and salt in a bowl. Add the cubed butter and use your fingers, or a pastry cutter if you have one, to cut the butter into the flour until it resembles a crumbly mixture. Add the water and shape into a dough. Proceed as outlined above.
Mmm, ever since I tasted my first fresh fig years ago from a tree that my parents grew, I can’t get enough of them, and always have to buy fresh figs when I see them, though none have ever tasted as sweet. Using the luscious jam in a crostata like this one seems like it might be close, though! Beautiful photos, too.
My father also had a fig tree which he would bury in the ground each winter! But I never appreciated gigs until my first trip to Italy at the age of 20 where I had the pleasure of eating them straight from the tree. I was hooked! So we’ll have to content ourselves with fig jam here in Canada! Thanks Margaret!
I am going to make this crostata. Ricotta, fig jam and pistachios definitely sound like a great combination! I’m glad I gave you that jar of fig jam????
Thanks to you for inspiring me with that delicious jam!
Nadia this is definitely my type of dessert as well! From the crust to the sweetened ricotta filling topped with fig jam and pistachios…it makes me want to devour it!
Thanks Marisa, it is definitely the combination of some of my favourite ingredients. Especially ricotta!