SippitySup

Pasta Frolla (Italian Sweet Pastry Dough)

Sour Cherry and Apricot Tart made with Pasta Frolla (Italian Sweet Pastry Dough)

This version of pasta frolla is rich and buttery, enhanced with a little lemon and orange zest. It has a crumbly shortbread texture when baked. Be sure to chill the dough thoroughly — for at least 1 hour — after making it (overnight is fine). Remove it from the refrigerator about 45 minutes before rolling it out so that the butter softens and the dough becomes pliable. Use a lightly floured surface to roll out the dough and do not overwork it. Too much flour and handling will yield a tough dough.” – Domenica Marchetti

Pasta Frolla (Italian Sweet Pastry Dough)

Print This Recipe Total time Yield one 9‑inch to 11-inch with latticeSource Domenica Marchetti via NPRPublished

If you make a 9‑inch crostata, you will have some leftover dough, which you can rewrap and freeze for future use, or roll out, cut into shapes and make cookies. Bake them at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes, or until lightly browned.

Sour Cherry and Apricot Tart made with Pasta Frolla (Italian Sweet Pastry Dough)

Ingredients

  • 3 cup unbleached all-purpose flour (plus more for the work surface)
  • 1 cup confectioner’s sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
  • zest of 1 lemon (finely grated)
  • zest of 1 orange (finely grated)
  • 1 cup cold unsalted butter (cut into ½‑inch cubes)
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 large eggs yolks

Directions

Put the flour, sugar, salt, and lemon and orange zests in the work bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Pulse briefly to combine the ingredients. Distribute the butter around the bowl and pulse until the mixture is crumbly. Add the egg and egg yolks and process until the dough just begins to come together.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and gather it together. Knead it briefly and shape it into 2 discs (one slightly larger than the other). Wrap tightly in plastic and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or until well chilled (overnight is fine). Remove the dough from the refrigerator and let it sit for 30 to 45 minutes, or until it is just pliable enough to roll, but not too soft to work with.