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Pastafrola
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.
Questions about this dish
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.
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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.