This delicious fruit tart, called spungata in Liguria and spongata in neighbouring Emilia-Romagna, is similar to what other Italian regions call a crostata. In Liguria, a spungata is often given as a gift when visiting friends and family. Apricots are a common filling, but it’s also made with apples, pears and other fruits; the apricots are quite tangy, so if you like it sweeter, double the honey. The nuts, spices and dried fruits used in spungata vary depending on what each cook prefers, so feel free to adapt. The butter-rich pastry can be tricky to work with as it becomes soft quickly, it’s very forgiving though and can always be popped back into the fridge for 10 minutes or so to make it more manageable. Because it is so soft, I find it easiest to handle if it’s rolled between 2 sheets of baking paper. The dough can be made a day ahead and refrigerated, just bring it out of the fridge about 30 minutes before rolling. I love a glass of dessert wine with spungata, like the Truffle Hill cane cut riesling, which is especially good when it has a bit of age on it. See the video below for another Ligurian sweet treat.
Serves 6–8
Spungata Pastry
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