This Crispy Pancetta and Potato Crostata is a savory tart full of flavor. It features a buttery and flaky crust, grana padano cheese, and sliced yukon potatoes topped with little pancetta flavor crystals. Enjoy this simple rustic dish for brunch, lunch, or dinner!
Mix ingredients - Add flour and salt to the food processor. Pulse the flour mixture a couple of times. Add butter then pulse again until the butter and flour form small pieces. Add water one tablespoon at a time and pulse a few times until the dough comes together and forms a ball. Be careful not to overwork the dough.
1½ cup all-purpose flour, ½ teaspoon kosher salt
Prepare Dough - Place dough onto a clean, flat working surface. Form into a ball, then roll into a disk. Wrap the dough in parchment paper or cling wrap then place the dough in the freezer.
Crust - By Hand Method
Mix ingredients - In a large mixing bowl, add the flour and salt. Then, whisk the dry ingredients until well mixed. Add the butter to the dry ingredients and toss until the butter is coated with flour. Use your fingers and palms to pinch the butter until it forms pea-sized bits of floury butter. Stir in water one tablespoon at a time. Use your hands to knead the dough until the ingredients are fully incorporated and the dough forms a cohesive ball.
1½ cup all-purpose flour, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, 1 cup butter, ¼ cup ice water
Prepare Dough - Place dough onto a clean, flat working surface. Form into a ball, then roll into a disk. Wrap the dough in parchment paper or cling wrap then place the dough in the freezer.
Crostata
Cook pancetta - Add pancetta to a cold pan. Turn on the heat to medium and cook until the fat renders and the pancetta becomes crispy, about 10 minutes. Remove the pancetta from the pan and reserve the oil in the pan.
4 oz pancetta
Cook shallots - Add the shallots to the leftover pancetta oil in the pan and cook on medium until softened, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.
2 shallots
Prepare oven - Heat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
Make egg wash - Add the cracked egg and a tablespoon of water to a bowl and whisk until smooth. Set aside.
1 large egg
Prepare crostata - Remove the dough from the freezer and place on a lightly floured surface. Roll dough into a 12-inch wide circle and gently place onto a baking sheet. Leaving 2 inches around the perimeter of the dough, spread an even layer of cooked shallots, a layer of 1 cup of grated Grana Padano, and arrange the potato slices in the center of the dough circle on top of the cheese. Brush the potatoes with olive oil. Add an additional layer of ½ cup grated Grana Padano, freshly cracked black pepper, and sea salt if desired.
1½ cups Grana Padano, 1 yukon potato, ½ tablespoon olive oil, freshly cracked black pepper, sea salt
Bake crostata - Gently fold the sides of the 2-inch dough perimeter inward and onto the potato filling. Brush the crust with egg wash. Place in the freezer for 5 minutes, then on the middle rack in the oven and bake for 45-50 minutes or until the crust is golden brown. With 3 minutes remaining, sprinkle with pancetta and place back in the oven. Remove from the oven and top with chives. Slice and serve.
1 tablespoon fresh chives
Notes
Storage
Refrigerate leftover crostata in foil or an air-tight container for up to 3 days. In order to reheat it, place it in the oven at 350°F for a few minutes until warm.
Top Tips
Make sure the dough ingredients are cold so the crust comes out perfectly flaky.
Let the crostata cool for a few minutes before serving. This ensures the ingredients will set and be easy to slice.
Be sure to leave about a 2-inch border around the dough perimeter so you can fold the dough into itself and make the perfect crust.
Make this recipe with substitutions, like guanciale instead of pancetta, and Parmigiano-Reggiano, Montasio, goat cheese, or other sharp cheeses instead of Grana Padano.