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Those in Italy truly know the art of indulgences, and they don't hesitate to savor them even for breakfast. However, only in that island can I truly relaxed having brioche and icy dessert early in the AM, mainly because no one there bats an eyelid. This tart – a buttery, short pastry filled with homemade berry and herb spread – shines for both breakfast and an daytime delight. There will be more jam than required here, but if you’re going the time of doing it homemade, it’s wise having a bit extra to enjoy on yogurt or breakfast slices.

Herb-Infused Berry Pastry

Prep a quick five
Macerate an hour or more
Cool 60 minutes
Bake 90 minutes
Feeds eight to ten

Jam ingredients:
about 21 oz blackberries
roughly 10.5 oz fine sugar
Fresh juice of half a lemon
2 bay leaves

For the pastry:
155g butter
60 grams caster sugar
A large egg, and 2 egg yolks
310g 00 flour, or even standard flour
Just a pinch leavening agent
Half a teaspoon salt
Milk, for brushing

First, prepare the preserve. Put the blackberries, sweetener and citrus juice in a big mixing bowl and leave to soak for a minimum of an hour, and ideally several more hours, until the fruit turn juicy and the majority of the sweetness has dissolved.

Put a tiny dish in the deep freeze – you’ll use later to test if the preserve is ready. Move the fruit mixture, together with all the juices, in a large, wide pan, then include the herb leaves and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cook gently for 10 to 12 minutes, then drop a small spoon of the mixture on the chilled plate. Leave it to cool for a couple of minutes, then press it with a finger: if it creases a bit, it’s done; if it doesn't, simmer for a couple minutes and check once more. Discard and get rid of the bay leaves, then empty the jam on to a shallow tray and leave to chill.

To make the pastry, beat the soft butter and caster sugar until creamy. Incorporate the whole egg and yellow parts, then add the plain flour, raising agent and sea salt, and combine well to create the ingredients together into a pastry. Do a quick knead, then split in two, with a portion a bit larger than the second one. Enclose both in wrap and refrigerate in the refrigerator for an 60 minutes, or until chilled.

Spread the bigger piece of dough to about 2.5 centimeters larger than a 9-inch removable-base mold, then place into the pan and push evenly into the corners. Trim off any excess pastry, poke the bottom all over with a fork and fill with about 300 grams of the room-temperature preserve.

Flatten the second piece of crust, then, using a cutter or pastry wheel, slice it into 8 strips. Arrange these neatly on top of the filling (such as, four in crosswise) to create a woven top, then cut away any sticking-out edges. Brush the visible dough lightly with liquid, then heat for 25 to 30 minutes, until nicely golden. Remove, leave to reach room temperature, then remove out of the pan.