Anyone who knows me well knows that I love breakfast, and naturally brunch too! It’s always such a disappointment to me that breakfast in Italy just isn’t a *thing* the way it can be here in the States. When traveling in Italy, don’t expect the hotel breakfast to be anything spectacular (there are exceptions, of course). You won’t find omelette stations, extravagant waffle stations or long a la carte breakfast menus. Even in very nice hotels, breakfast is not a big part of the Italian culture.
So what is breakfast like in Italy? Lots of pastries, treats, cured meats & cheese! And your meal wouldn’t be complete without a cappuccino or espresso. My absolute favorite is the crostata di marmellata. I usually eat a slice every day on our trips, and look forward to having it every time I go! This jam tart is the perfect balance of sweetness to get your Italian morning started. You will find this treat throughout the north & the south, varying in type of jam. When we were in Sicily this summer, we stayed at an agriturismo (a farm that has rooms for rent) that made fresh jam. Their crostata di marmellata was made with fresh mandarin jam from the farm. Check them out here: Agriturismo Bergi.
In an effort to bring a little dolce vita into my every day, I attempted to make the crostata di marmellata at home (pictured above). And all I have to say is, WOW–delizioso!! This really did do the trick of bringing Italia into my home this morning and I’m happy to share the recipe with you. I followed Laura Vitale’s Laura in the Kitchen recipe to make mine and used raspberry jam. I am not much of a baker (or cook for that matter–thank you Jesus for a husband who enjoys cooking!!) and I found this recipe fairly easy to follow. And most importantly, the end result was amazing. I hope you’ll try it! See below for the video of Laura’s recipe & link to her written instructions. Buon appetito!
Link to the written instructions HERE