Pasta Frola (Argentinian Lattice Tart)

A recipe for Pasta Frola (Argentinian Lattice Tart)! This light and flaky tart has a shortbread-like crust and is filled with Dulce de Membrillo (Quince Paste) or Dulce de Leche.

Brunch Week 2020

Welcome to #BrunchWeek 2020 hosted by Love and Confections and A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures! This is our 8th year of #BrunchWeek and while it is a little different this year, 22 bloggers are excited to share all our favorite Brunch recipes.

We have a huge variety including French toast, danish, waffles, pancakes, hash, fruit salad, cocktails, mocktails, vegan, keto, and plenty of desserts! We hope you enjoy all our Brunch recipes!

Pasta Frola (Argentinian Lattice Tart)

It has been a couple of years since I have taken part in Brunch Week (my last post was in 2018 with these Cheddar Sun-Dried Tomato Biscuits)!

I am excited to join again this year and am kicking the week off with a recipe for Pasta Frola (Pastafrola, Argentinian Lattice Tart).

Influenced by the Italian Crostata and named after the sweet dough, this Argentinian (also popular in Uruguay and Paraguay) tart has a flaky, shortbread-like crust and is often filled with Dulce de Membrillo (Quince Paste) before decorating the top in a lattice pattern and baking until golden.

Other fillings include Dulce de Leche (a personal favorite), guava, or even sweet potato (Dulce de Batata). 

A Few Pasta Frola Tips

Instead of one large tart, I divided the pie crust to make four smaller tarts using 4.75 inch round tart pans with a removable bottom- two filled with homemade Dulce de Leche and the other two with the traditional Dulce de Membrillo (Quince Paste). 

I had store-bought dulce de membrillo on hand, but Global Kitchen Travels recently shared a recipe for Easy Membrillo- Homemade Quince Paste that I hope to try soon. The Dulce de Membrillo will need to be softened with a splash of water over low heat to help create a smooth and spreadable texture to fill the tarts.

I used vanilla extract to lightly flavor the pie crust, but have also come across recipes that mix in a little lemon zest.

Only add milk to the pie dough if it just won’t come together. Be careful not to overwork the dough. You want it to keep that light and flaky texture. If the dough is still too difficult to work with after chilling for 30 minutes, place back in the refrigerator for a little longer- up to an hour. A cold, rested dough will be much easier roll out.

After assembling and baking the Pasta Frola, allow it to cool completely to room temperature before slicing and serving, especially if using Dulce de Leche as the filling. The filling will set as the tart cools. Having a tart pan with a removable bottom is particularly helpful.

Optionally, dust the tops with a little powdered sugar or desiccated coconut.

Check out what everyone else made:

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• Greek Broccoli Pasta Salad by Making Miracles
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• Pasta Frola (Argentinian Lattice Tart) by Tara’s Multicultural Table

Pasta Frola (Argentinian Lattice Tart) Recipe

Adapted from Dulce de Leche

Print Pin

5 from 2 votes

Pasta Frola (Argentinian Lattice Tart)

A recipe for Pasta Frola (Argentinian Lattice Tart)! This light and flaky tart has a shortbread-like crust and is filled with Dulce de Membrillo (Quince Paste) or Dulce de Leche.

Course Dessert

Cuisine Argentinian

Keyword Argentina, Argentinian, dulce de leche, dulce de membrillo, pie, quince, tart

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Resting Time: 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes

Servings 4 (4.75 inch) tarts

Ingredients

Pie crust:

• 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• Pinch salt
• 12 tablespoons unsalted butter chilled and diced
• 2 large egg yolks
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Milk only if needed to bring together dough

For the filling:

• 10 ounces Dulce de Membrillo Quince Paste
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1/2 cup Dulce de Leche more if using as the only filling
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon water
• Powdered sugar or desiccated coconut for garnish

Instructions

To make the pie crust:

• In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
• Quickly cut in the chilled, diced butter using a dough blender or two forks until the mixture is crumbly with the consistency of sand with no pieces larger than the size of a pea.
• Mix in the egg yolks, egg, and vanilla extract to bring together the dough. If it keeps falling apart and just won't come together, add a splash or two of milk only if needed. Form the dough into a disc, cover in plastic wrap, and refrigerate until chilled, about 30 minutes.

To make the filling:

• If using Dulce de Membrillo, dice the quince paste and place it in a small saucepan with 1 tablespoon water. Cook over low heat, stirring often, until the paste is smooth and spreadable. If still too thick, add another tablespoon of water. Set aside and allow to cool. This step won't be needed if using Dulce de Leche.

To assemble:

• Preheat oven to 350˚F. Lightly grease four (4.75 inch) or one large tart pan with butter.
• Remove the chilled pie dough from the refrigerator and place on a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough into two pieces, one 2/3 piece and another 1/3 to save for the lattice topping.
• Roll the dough out into a large circle about 1/4 inch thick. To make four (4.75 inch) tarts, cut out four circles about 6 inches wide (or otherwise place the large circle of dough into the prepared larger tart pan). Gently press to cover the bottom and sides of the pan completely, neatly trimming the overhanging edges as needed.
• Fill each tart 3/4 full with either the prepared Dulce de Membrillo or Dulce de Leche.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll the remaining 1/3 of dough into a thin circle and cut out strips about 1/2 inch wide.
• Arrange the strips on each filled tart in a lattice crisscross pattern, pinching the strips at each edge to seal.
• In a small bowl, beat together the egg and water to form an egg wash. Brush the egg wash over the lattice strips on each tart.
• Place the tart pans on a baking sheet and bake in preheated oven until golden and set, 20-30 minutes for smaller tarts or closer to 40-45 minutes for one larger tart.
• Allow to cool to room temperature before slicing and serving. If desired, top with a little powdered sugar or desiccated coconut.