Miascia -- Mixed Fruit Tart

Miascia is a rustic Italian bread tart from the Lake Como region that turns stale bread into something genuinely beautiful. Milk-soaked bread triangles form the base, topped with chopped pears, halved red grapes, and plumped raisins, then bound together with a light cornmeal and buttermilk custard.

What makes this version stand out is the fresh rosemary. It sounds unusual in a dessert, but that piney, herbal note cuts through the sweetness and gives the tart an earthy depth you won’t forget. Just a couple teaspoons, chopped fine, scattered across the top before baking.

The custard sets gently in the oven while the fruit softens and the bread edges turn golden. Let it cool completely before slicing. Warm miascia is too soft to cut cleanly.

Chef Tips

• Use day-old bread. Fresh bread gets too mushy when soaked and won’t hold its structure.
• Don’t skip plumping the raisins in boiling water. Dry raisins burn on top during the long bake.
• The lemon zest in the custard is subtle but essential. It brightens all that fruit and keeps the tart from tasting one-note sweet.
• A drizzle of olive oil on top before baking adds a slight golden crispness to the surface.

Variations

• Swap pears for apples in autumn when they’re at their peak.
• Replace rosemary with fresh thyme for a softer herbal note.
• Use whole wheat bread for a nuttier, more rustic base.