Italian Jam Tarts

The pastry for these simple jam tarts is made with olive oil and flavoured with a little alcohol, which makes it tender. If you don’t feel like making pastry, just mix the lemon zest, cloves and vanilla into about 1kg of bought sweet shortcrust pastry.

Tender Italian Sweet Pastry

• 4 cups flour
• 1½ cups sugar
• 3 tsp baking powder
• a pinch of salt
• 3 large eggs
• ⅔ cup olive oil
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp ground cloves
• 2 tbsp vodka, brandy or other spirits
• finely grated zest of 1 lemon

Heat oven to 170°C and spray or brush the base and sides of two 25cm-diameter shallow loose-bottom tart tins with oil.

To make Tender Italian Sweet Pastry, mix together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a big bowl. In another bowl or jug lightly beat together eggs, oil, vanilla, cloves, spirits and lemon zest.

Make a well in the dry ingredients and add the egg mixture. Using a wooden spoon and then your hands, work the flour in gradually and lightly until it comes together into a smooth ball.

Divide dough into 3 and roll out all 3 pieces to about 1cm thickness. Press one piece of dough into the base and sides of each prepared tart tin. Spread both bases generously with jam.

Cut the remaining piece of rolled-out dough into 1cm-wide strips. Use the strips to make a lattice pattern on top of the tarts. Cut tiny diamonds of leftover dough and place one diamond in the centre of each criss-cross.

Bake until lightly golden (about 40-45 minutes). Allow to cool before slicing with a serrated knife. Store in an airtight container and use within 1-2 days or freeze for later use.