The perfect way to showcase beautiful rhubarb from your garden combined with fresh strawberries for the perfect balance of tart and sweet flavors. This rustic, free-form Rhubarb Strawberry Crostata is one of the easiest tarts you'll ever make!
Planting season is finally here! This unpredictable weather has been hard to deal with lately. I was holding back on planting my garden for a while since the danger of frost was still lurking, but I finally got around to it. On the other hand, my rhubarb plant exploded seemingly overnight! 
Last week, I was short on time so I prepared a quick and easy Rhubarb Applesauce with the first rhubarb that I picked. It was devoured in minutes! This week I settled on this crostata recipe also knows as a rhubarb strawberry galette or tart!
Why is crostata so easy to make?
I've mentioned before that I'm not crazy about making pie dough. So if you're like me you'll love making crostatas!
First, the dough is made entirely in a food processor and takes only two minutes to make.
And, if you're intimidated by pastry and making beautifully crimped pie edges, you don't have to worry about this when it comes to a crostata. This free form crostata recipe has a beautiful rustic look that requires little expertise. Simply fold the dough over the filling and you're done!
I wish I could include in this post the wonderful aroma that filled my home as it was baking. The crust is so buttery, flaky and lightly sweetened and contrasts perfectly with the tart flavour of the rhubarb. You also know that I don't have much of a sweet tooth so I kept my sugar at a minimum, only ½ cup. But you can easily increase to ⅔ cup if you prefer a sweeter filling.
I enjoy making crostatas so much that I have a few other recipes that you must try such as Fig Jam, Ricotta and Pistachio Crostata as well as Savoury Butternut Squash, Leek and Goat Cheese 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.
Step by Step Instructions
Prepare the dough:
Begin by making the crostata dough with your food processor. Place flour, sugar and salt in the bowl and mix. Add cold, cubed butter and pulse until the butter breaks down to the size of peas. With the motor running, add ice cold water through the tube feed and mix until a ball of dough forms and wraps itself around the blade.
Remove from the food processor, shape into a flat disk and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. 
Prepare the filling:
While the dough is resting, prepare the filling by combining chopped rhubarb, strawberries, sugar and cornstarch in a bowl. Set aside.
To assemble the tart:
After 30 minutes, remove the dough from the fridge. Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper and preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
On a well floured surface use your rolling pin to roll the dough into a 14 inch circle. It does not have to be perfectly shaped. Transfer the dough to the baking sheet. Place the rhubarb strawberry filling in the center of the dough, leaving a 1 ½ inch border.
Fold the dough over the filling, gently pleating it into a circular shape. Brush the dough with a beaten egg. 
Bake for 30-35 minutes until the crust is crisp and golden. Let cool completely on a wire rack before transferring to a serving plate. Let cool before serving.
Tips and suggestions:
- For the perfect dough, make sure your butter is cold and you are using ice-cold water (water with ice cubes in it).
- If you prefer a sweeter filling, increase the amount of sugar to ⅔ cup.
- If you don't have access to rhubarb, you can simply make a berry crostata by substituting the rhubarb with extra strawberries.
- Some of the juices from the fruit may leak while baking, this is normal. Once the crostata has cooled it, the juices will have completely thickened and it will be easy to serve.
- Use a spatula to carefully slide the crostata onto a serving plate.
- Enjoy warm along with a scoop of ice cream or at room temperature.
Can crostata dough be made without a food processor?
- If you don't have a food processor the dough can be easily prepared by hand. Combine the flour, sugar and salt in a bowl. Add the cubed butter and use your finger tips 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.
Now that you've seen how easy it is to make crostatas, I invite all of you to give it a try. If you try out this easy recipe, let me know how much you enjoyed it by rating it in the recipe card below. And don't forget to Pin the recipe for later. Buon appetito!
Rhubarb Strawberry Crostata Recipe
Ingredients
For the dough:
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ pound unsalted butter 1 stick
- 2 tablespoons ice water
For the filling:
- 2 cups rhubarb (about 6 rhubarb stalks) cut into 1 inch pieces
- 2 cups strawberries halved or quartered
- ½ cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
For topping:
- 1 egg beaten
Instructions
For the dough
- In a food processor fitted with a steel blade, add flour, sugar, and salt into the bowl and mix. Add the cubed butter and pulse until the butter has broken down and is the size of peas.
- With the motor running, add ice water through the feed tube. Pulse until the dough comes together and wraps itself around the blade.
- Remove from the bowl and shape into a disk. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for about half an hour.
For the filling
- Chop the rhubarb into 1 inch pieces. Slice the strawberries into halves or quarters, depending on their size. Combine the rhubarb and strawberries in a bowl and add sugar, cornstarch and toss until well coated. Set aside.
To assemble and bake
- Preheat oven to 400°F and cover a baking sheet with parchment paper. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and roll out on a floured surface into a 14 inch circle. Roll the dough around the rolling pin and unroll onto the prepared baking sheet.
- Pour the rhubarb strawberry mixture in the centre of the dough, leaving a 1 ½ inch border. Fold the border over the fruit, gently pleating it into a circular shape. Brush the dough with the beaten egg.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes until the crust is golden and the fruit is bubbling. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before serving.
Notes
- For the perfect dough, make sure your butter is cold and you are using icy water (water with ice cubes in it).
- If you don't have a food processor the dough can be easily prepared by hand. Combine the flour, sugar and salt in a bowl. Add the cubed butter and use your finger tips to cut the butter into the flour until it resembles a crumbly mixture. Add water and gently shape into a dough. Proceed as above.
- If you prefer a sweeter filling, increase the amount of sugar to ⅔ cup.
- Some of the juices from the fruit may leak while baking, this is normal. Once the crostata has cooled it, the juices will have completely thickened and it will be easy to serve.
- Use a spatula to carefully slide the crostata onto a serving plate.
- Enjoy warm along with a scoop of ice cream or chilled.
- Please note that the nutritional information provided is approximate and may vary according to exact portion size.
Nadia Fazio
Rhubarb and strawberries are the perfect pairing and this crostata recipe is so forgiving if you're not an expert at making pie dough. Do try it when both ingredients are in season for the best flavor!
Rosa
Hi Nadia! This looks so delicious! Rhubarb, strawberries, and a buttery crust? It doesn't get any better than this. 🙂 Thanks for sharing.
mangiabedda@gmail.com
Thanks for checking out my post Rosa!