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1
Mix the flour, sugar, and lemon peel, in a food processor.
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2
Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles a coarse meal.
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3
Add salt and pulse in the ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until moist clumps form.
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4
Gather the dough into a ball; flatten into a disk then wrap the dough in plastic and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.
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5
Position the rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 400u00b0F
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6
Roll out the dough on a floured surface to an 11-inch round then transfer the dough onto a heavy baking sheet that has been lined with a silpat or parchment paper.
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7
Heat in the microwave the almond paste with 2 T of butter to thin it out, then spread on top of the dough, leaving a 2-inch border.
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8
Stir the lemon juice into the raspberry preserve and spread on top of almond paste, still leaving a 2-inch border.
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9
Fold the 2-inch dough border over to form an 8-inch round, pleating loosely and pinching to seal any cracks in the dough (looks like a flat pie).
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10
Bake until the crust is golden, 35 to 40 minutes.
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11
Allow to cool.
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12
Sprinkle with the almonds and dust with the powdered sugar, if you wish.
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13
Slide a metal spatula under the crust to free the crostata from the baking sheet and serve.
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14
Optional: Top with chopped hazelnuts instead of almonds; or mix some lemon juice w/powdered sugar and drizzle over the top after cooking.
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15
*There are several good almond paste recipes on Zaar.
