Pasta Frolla is the classic recipe for Italian sweet shortcrust pastry dough. This recipe is great for whenever you need to make a simple pie crust and can be made up to three days in advance.
This Pasta Frolla recipe is the Italian way of making sweet pie crusts. It’s great to use for fruit tarts, filling with pastry cream, an Italian crostata, or whenever you need a pie crust recipe.
I use this recipe when I make classic treats like this Italian Ricotta Pie, Torta della Nonna, Lemon Mascarpone Tart, or Italian Rice Pie. Pasta frolla is always use for this Italian Crostata recipe. For another Italian dessert, be sure to try this Blueberry Lemon Mascarpone Tart or this classic Almond Ricotta Cake.
If you love baking, try this no knead Focaccia Bread or Colomba Cake recipe!
You’ll Love Pasta Frolla!
Pasta Frolla is similar to a traditional pie crust but has a sweeter and lighter flavor and texture. This basic recipe includes eggs, butter, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
This is one of those Italian recipes you need to have on hand for baking, just like my recipe for crespelle. It forms the base of so many recipes and can be used in different ways.
Pasta Frolla can be used in the same way as you’d use any shortcrust pastry in your favorite Italian desserts. You can roll it out to make shortbread cookies with cookie cutters, or press it into a tart shell, blind bake, and then add pastry cream and fresh fruit on top.
You’ll love that you can make this pasta frolla dough in advance, cover in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use. It’s one of those traditional recipes you’ll use again and again.
So, if you’re looking for a sweeter and flakier shortcrust for your baking, be sure to give this pasta frolla recipe a try!
Ingredients and Variations
- Flour: use all purpose flour for this recipe. Be sure to weigh the flour for accurate measurement.
- Sugar: regular granulated sugar works best.
- Baking powder: make sure you are using baking powder and not baking soda.
- Kosher salt: use a bit of kosher salt to balance the sweetness.
- Eggs: you’ll need two large cold eggs.
- Butter: use cold unsalted butter. Be sure it is cold butter so you can get a flaky crust.
Variations: you can change the flavor of the pasta frolla by adding in flavors such as lemon zest, vanilla extract, orange zest, or even almond extract.
How to Make Pasta Frolla
Pasta Frolla is the classic way to make Italian sweet shortcrust pastry dough and is a great go-to recipe where you need to use a pie crust. Make this versatile dough ahead of time and refrigerate until ready to use.
Step 1: mix together dry ingredients
In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the blade attachment, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Pulse to combine.
You can also make this in a large mixing bowl and just whisk ingredients together.
Step 2: add in eggs and butter
Next, add in the eggs and cold cubed butter with the flour mixture. Place the lid on the food processor and pulse until the butter and eggs are well combined and the dough is crumbly.
If you are making this in a large bowl, you can use a pastry cutter to cut the butter and eggs into the dry ingredients until they form a sand-like texture.
Step 3: chill the dough
Pour the dough onto a piece of plastic wrap or cling film. Use your hands to form into a ball of dough or disk shape. Cover well with plastic wrap and let the dough rest and chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour or up to three days.
Step 4: roll out dough
When ready to use, remove the chilled dough from the refrigerator. Place on a lightly floured surface, preferably lined with parchment paper or plastic wrap. Use a floured rolling pin to roll the pasta frolla into a large circular shape.
Use your rolling pin to move the dough into your tart pan, pie pan, or springform pan. Bake as is or add in your filling and bake as usual.
Helpful Recipe Tips
- The shortcrust dough is supposed to be crumbly but should stick together when squeezed. If you find that it is too crumbly, try pulsing in a teaspoon of cold water.
- You can make pasta frolla without a food processor. Just add the ingredients to a bowl and use a pastry cutter to combine.
- This recipe makes enough to cover an entire 9-inch springform pan or pie pan, with enough extra dough to make a lattice top.
- If you find the dough is sticking to your rolling pin, dust the top of the dough with flour. Then, cover with a piece of parchment paper or plastic wrap before rolling.
- Pasta frolla can be used in any recipe that calls for a sweet pie crust. It is also delicious for making fruit tarts, crostatas, or simple roll out cookies.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Pasta Frolla?
Pasta frolla is an Italian sweet pastry dough. It’s known by its crumbly texture and slightly sweet flavor, and is commonly used as a base for tarts, pies, and cookies in Italian desserts.
How is Pasta Frolla different than pie crust?
Both pasta frolla and pie crust are types of pastry dough. Pasta frolla has a higher sugar content and is also is made with eggs, resulting in a crumbly and cookie-like texture.
In contrast, pie crust tends to be more neutral or savory, containing flour, butter, and water. Pie crust also has more of a flaky texture in savory or sweet pies.
More Classic Italian Recipes
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Pasta Frolla (Sweet Italian Shortcrust Pastry)
Equipment
- food processor with blade attachment
Ingredients
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 large eggs
- ¼ cup cold butter, cubed
Instructions
- In a large food processor fitted with the blade attachment combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Put on lid and pulse until combined.
- Then, add in the eggs and cold cubed butter. Pulse just until the mixture is well combined. You'll know its ready when you the you can squeeze the dough together and it holds shape. (If the dough is too crumbly, you can pulse in a few drops of water).
- Pour the dough on a piece of plastic wrap and form into a disk shape. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour.
- When ready to use, roll the dough on a lightly floured surface to desired size and shape. Bake as needed or blind bake in a pie tin for 20 minutes at 375 degrees.
Notes
- The shortcrust dough is supposed to be crumbly but should stick together when squeezed. If you find that it is too crumbly, try pulsing in a few drops of cold water.
- You can make pasta frolla without a food processor. Just add the ingredients to a bowl and use a pastry cutter to combine.
- This recipe makes enough to cover an entire 9-inch springform pan or pie pan, with enough extra dough to make a lattice top.
- If you find the dough is sticking to your rolling pin, dust the top of the dough with flour. Then, cover with a piece of parchment paper or plastic wrap before rolling.
- Pasta frolla can be used in any recipe that calls for a sweet pie crust. It is also delicious for making fruit tarts, crostatas, or simple roll out cookies.
