Pastafrola (Quince Pie) Recipe
The origins of Pastafrola are believed to trace back to Italy, across the Atlantic Ocean. The lattice-patterned crust bears similarities to traditional Italian pastry designs and given Paraguay’s and Argentina’s strong historical connections with Europe, this theory seems plausible.The use of quince pastes in some versions of Pastafrola further emphasizes its European influence. However, the incorporation of dulce de leche and guava, both iconic ingredients from the Americas, adds a local touch. With its crumbly shortbread crust and rich fruit or dulce de leche filling, Pastafrola is a dessert that is sure to satisfy any sweet craving.
Ingredients
- All-purpose flour – 2 cups
- White sugar – ⅔ cup
- Eggs – 2
- Unsalted butter – ⅔ cup
- Jam, Guava or Qince – 14 – 16 oz.
- Baking powder – 2 tsp.
- Vanilla – to taste
- Lemon zest
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Prepare your dough. Begin by beating together the butter and sugar. This will take about 3-4 minutes until the mixture is a very pale yellow or white.
- Incorporate the vanilla, lemon zest, and eggs, making sure to leave a small amount of egg to the side. Beat until the mixture turns creamy.
- In a medium bowl, sift your flour and mix it with baking powder and sugar. Form a well in the center of the dry mixture and place the creamy mixture inside. Combine the two mixtures to get a dense and compact dough, being careful not to overmix.
- Cover the dough and place it in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
- At the end of the time, preheat your oven to 350 F.
- Take the dough from the freezer and flatten using a rolling pin. Flatten until dough is about ¼ inch thick.
- In a tart pan or small pie pan, take a section of the flattened dough and line the pan, making sure to remove any that spills over the edges.
- Fill the pie. Using your choice of filling (guava, quince, or dulce de leche) to fill the pie.
- With the remainder of your flattened dough (this might require reshaping and flattening), create a lattice pattern atop the pie to cover the fruit filling. You can leave the filling to peek through, as this is the traditional style of the pastafrola.
- Using the egg side aside from earlier, lightly brush the pie with an egg wash.
- Bake in the oven at 350 F for 40 minutes. The crust should be golden and crispy around the edges. To test if it has reached perfection, run the blunt edge of a knife along the crust. You should hear the sound of it scraping.
- Let cool for 25-30 minutes before serving. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Calories: 356kcalCarbohydrates: 46gProtein: 6gFat: 17gSaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 87mgSodium: 160mgFiber: 2gSugar: 20g
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