Pastafrola
A tender sweet shortcrust tart filled with melted quince paste under a diagonal lattice. The Argentine and Uruguayan teatime tart.
Recipe by I Want Some Food · Reviewed by the editorial kitchen.
- Prep
- 30 min
- Cook
- 40 min
- Rest
- 1 hr 30 min
- Total
- 2 hr 40 min
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Spice
- No chilli
- Cost
- Weeknight budget$8–16 USD · indicative, not a store price
About
Pastafrola is a short, cakey crust, closer to a soft biscuit than to French pastry, filled with a thick layer of dulce de membrillo and topped with a diamond lattice of the same dough. The crust gets baking powder, egg, lemon zest and vanilla, which make it tender and a little puffy. The quince paste is melted with a splash of water until it spreads, then cooled so it does not soak the base. It bakes until the lattice is golden and the filling sets glossy between the strips. It is simple, it keeps for days, and it is better on the second.
What you'll need
12 ingredients. Tap each one once it's out on the bench.
- Dough
- Filling
- To finish
Ingredients
Dough
- Wheat flour300 g
- Baking powder7.4 ml
- Sugar100 g
- Salt1 pinch
- Butter, cold, cubed125 g
- Egg1
- Egg yolks, keep the white for glazing1
- Lemon, finely grated zest1
- Vanilla, extract4.9 ml
Filling
- Quince paste, dulce de membrillo, cubed450 g
- Water, or sweet wine60 ml
To finish
- Egg white, the white left from the yolk, lightly beaten1
Scaling multiplies the written quantities. Baking still prefers a scale.
Steps
Step 1
Whisk the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt. Rub in the cold butter until the mixture looks like coarse sand. Add the egg, yolk, lemon zest and vanilla and mix with a fork, then your hands, just until it comes together. Shape into two discs, one twice the size of the other, wrap and chill for 30 minutes.
40 min
Step 2
Warm the cubed quince paste with the water in a saucepan over low heat, mashing it with a fork, for about five minutes until it is a thick, spreadable paste with only small lumps. Let it cool.
10 min
Watch: Keep the heat low. Boiled quince paste darkens and turns bitter.
Step 3
Heat the oven to 180°C and grease a 24 cm tart tin with a removable base. Roll the larger disc between two sheets of baking paper to about 4 mm and line the base and sides of the tin, patching any cracks with your fingers.
10 min180°C
Step 4
Spread the cooled quince evenly over the base. Roll the smaller disc to 4 mm, cut it into 1.5 cm strips and lay them diagonally across the tart in two directions to make diamonds. Press the ends into the edge, trim, and brush the lattice with the egg white.
10 min
Step 5
Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the pastry is golden. Cool completely in the tin before unmoulding and cutting into slices or squares.
40 min180°C
Nutrition
Per serving · estimate
- Calories
- 377 kcal
- Protein
- 4.6 g
- Carbs
- 63.3 g
- Fat
- 11.6 g
- Saturated fat
- 6.8 g
- Fibre
- 1.6 g
- Sugar
- 37.3 g
- Sodium
- 71 mg
Calculated from canonical ingredient data (USDA FoodData Central averages and equivalent published tables). Estimates only.
Allergens
Informational only. Not a medical guarantee. Cross-contamination happens in real kitchens.
- Wheat
- Milk
- Eggs
- Vegetarian
- Nut-free
Adapt this recipe
The original recipe stays as it is. Personal versions are labelled. Serving changes are simple maths.
Adaptations · 0 / 15 used. Resets 13 November.
Substitutions
Quince paste → Sweet potato paste (dulce de batata) or guava paste
Batata is the other Argentine classic. Guava paste works the same way and is sweeter.
Lemon zest → Orange zest
Softer and sweeter. Some families use both.
Tips
- The dough is soft and short. If it tears while you roll it, chill it again for ten minutes rather than adding flour.
- Roll the leftover scraps out and bake them as small biscuits alongside the tart.
- It keeps four days covered at room temperature, and the crust softens pleasantly as it sits.
History & culture
Pastafrola belongs to the merienda, the afternoon snack, with mate or coffee. Every grandmother in Argentina and Uruguay has a version, and panaderías sell it whole or by the square. Quince is the classic filling; sweet potato paste is the second choice, and dulce de leche the modern one. Paraguay makes it too.
The name and the method come from Italian pasta frolla, the sweet shortcrust of the crostata, brought by the Italian immigrants who poured into the River Plate from the late 19th century. The filling is a Spanish inheritance: dulce de membrillo was already a colonial pantry staple. In Argentina the two met, the name was run together into one word, and the lattice stayed.
Traditional — Some cooks loosen the membrillo with port or sweet wine instead of water. The dough varies by family: more egg and less butter for a cakier crust, or a spoon of milk to bring it together. Diagonal strips are the classic pastafrola look.
Provenance: Editorial adaptation.
Questions about this recipe
Answers taken from this dish's times, amounts, swaps and tips.
How long does Pastafrola take?
2 hr 40 min all in — 30 min prep, 40 min cook, 1 hr 30 min rest. Cook and rest follow the method. Leftover storage and optional extra waits are not included.
How many does it serve?
The recipe is written for 10 slices. Scale the ingredient list on the page if you are cooking for a different number.
How hard is it?
Easy.
How spicy is it?
No chilli.
What allergens should I watch?
This recipe is labelled for Wheat, Milk, Eggs. Labels are informational — check the packets in your kitchen. This is not medical advice.
Does it fit a diet?
The published recipe is labelled Vegetarian, Nut-free.
9 more questionsFewer questions
What does it cost to cook?
Weeknight budget — about $8–16 USD, as a grocery budget for this recipe, not a restaurant price.
What equipment do I need?
Mixing bowl, Rolling pin, Saucepan, Oven.
How much salt do I put in?
The recipe lists Salt at 1 pinch.
How much sugar?
100 g of Sugar.
What can I use instead?
Quince paste → Sweet potato paste (dulce de batata) or guava paste. Batata is the other Argentine classic. Guava paste works the same way and is sweeter. Lemon zest → Orange zest. Softer and sweeter. Some families use both.
What should I watch for?
Keep the heat low. Boiled quince paste darkens and turns bitter.
Any tips from this recipe?
The dough is soft and short. If it tears while you roll it, chill it again for ten minutes rather than adding flour. Roll the leftover scraps out and bake them as small biscuits alongside the tart. It keeps four days covered at room temperature, and the crust softens pleasantly as it sits.
Can I prepare this ahead?
Roll the leftover scraps out and bake them as small biscuits alongside the tart.
Can I use an air fryer?
This method is not written for an air fryer. The core technique on the page still applies.
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