Italian Sweet Shortcrust Pastry: Pasta Frolla

Italian Sweet Shortcrust Pastry (Pasta Frolla) is easy to whip up and can be used to make so many different cookies, pies, and tarts such as Torta della Nonna or Italian Crostata (jam tart). Follow this step by step photo and video guide to make solid Pasta Frolla!

Pasta Frolla is the Italian name for sweet shortcrust pastry and it's used to make all kinds of cookies, pies tarts and more!

Once you learn this easy recipe you can get experimental and make all kinds of Italian sweet treats.

It's good and easy to make make sure you use cold butter straight out of the fridge!

Ingredients you need

You need only basic store cupboard ingredients to make this pastry flour (00 flour or all-purpose), sugar, cold butter, salt, baking powder, and egg. See the photo below that shows all the ingredients you need!

How to make Italian Sweet Shortcrust Pastry – step by step

Sift the flour into a large bowl then add the rest of the dry ingredients, stir to combine (photos 1 & 2).

Add the egg and butter and cut it into the flour mixture with a spatula or pastry scraper to form rough crumbs (photos 3 & 4).

Start to bring the mixture together with your hands to form a dough. Knead the pastry until all the flour is fully absorbed and it becomes a smooth ball. Wrap in plastic wrap and place in the fridge for 30 minutes to1 hour (photo 5-8).

After the dough has chilled remove from the fridge and dust a clean work surface with flour. Roll out using a rolling pin until ¼ inch (½ cm) thick if making pies and tarts or roll out to desired thickness for cookies (photo 9).

To make a pie or tart, lay the pastry over a tart or pie tin tucking in the sides until it fits evenly. Roll the rolling pin over the tart case to cut the edges (you can also trim the edge with a knife) (photos 10-13).

Prick the base with a fork then place back in the fridge for 30 minutes (photo 14).

Fill with filling of choice and bake as directed in recipe.

How to use it and what to make with it

Italian sweet shortcrust pastry is used to make good cookies, pies, and tarts such as Torta della Nonna which is a tart filled with vanilla pastry cream and topped with pine nuts, so good!

It's also used to make one of the most commonly eaten Italian tarts Crostata!

Crostata is filled with jam such as strawberry, raspberry, or apricot then is topped with a lattice of shortcrust pastry before being baked.

It's a simple dessert to make and is so good served for breakfast, as a snack or dessert!

Other classic ways to use this pastry is to fill it with fruit to make fruit pies and tarts such as berries, apples, rhubarb, and peach. The list is endless so get creative and choose anything you like! If using fresh fruit blind bake the pastry first, see notes below.

Top tips and Sweet Shortcrust Pastry FAQs

• Measuring in cups – If measuring the flour in cups spoon the flour into the cups but do not level off.
• Cold butter – Make sure your butter is extra cold straight from the fridge and try not to handle it often so it stays nice and cold for as long as possible.
• Texture of pastry – The shortcrust pastry may seem dry as you're mixing it together but don't be tempted to add any water or extra butter it does come together into a solid ball within a couple of minutes.
• Chill the dough – It's important to let the dough rest and stiffen up in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before rolling out.
• Variations – you can add citrus zest such as lemon and orange to the dry ingredients to add a fresh and zingy flavour!

Can we make shortcrust pastry in advance?

Yes, you can either prepare the dough to the first stage and keep it in a ball in the fridge or roll it out into pie or tart cases and store it in the fridge from that stage for 3-4 days. We don't recommend filling a pie or tart more than 2-3 hours in advance because the pastry will become too wet on the bottom. Keep a filled unbaked pie or tart in the fridge until ready to bake.

Do we need to blind bake first?

You should blind bake shortcrust pastry first if you are adding wet fillings such as fresh or frozen fruit. To blind bake add parchment paper to the pastry lined tart followed by baking beads or dried rice to weigh the crust down and bake for around 10-15 minutes.

Can we make sweet shortcrust pastry using a stand mixer?

Yes, add all of the ingredients then use the paddle attachment until it forms a dough. You need to tip it out and form the dough into a ball then wrap in plastic wrap.

Can we freeze sweet shortcrust pastry?

Absolutely, you can freeze prepared and unbaked shortcrust pastry. wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and keep it in a sealed container. Thaw completely overnight in the fridge before using then roll out from chilled.

More Italian desserts you might like

• Bomboloni – Italian filled doughnuts
• Torta della Nonna: Italian Custard Tart
• Affogato – ice cream and coffee
• Tiramisu – authentic recipe
• White chocolate panna cotta

Ingredients

Makes 10 servings

• 2 cups 00 flour or unbleached all-purpose (*see notes (250g))
• ½ cup caster sugar (golden or white (80g))
• 8.5 tbsp cold butter (cubed (120g))
• 1 large egg
• Zest of 1 lemon
• ¼ tsp baking powder
• 1 pinch of salt

Method

1. Sift the flour into a large bowl then add the rest of the dry ingredients, stir to combine.

2. Add the egg and butter and cut it into the flour mixture with a spatula or pastry scraper to form rough crumbs. You can also use your hands but make sure they are not too hot to warm the butter.

3. Start to bring the mixture together with your hands to form a dough. Knead the pastry until all the flour is fully absorbed and it becomes a smooth ball. Wrap in plastic wrap and place in the fridge for 30 minutes-1 hour.

4. After the dough has chilled remove from the fridge and dust a clean work surface with flour. Roll out using a rolling pin until ¼ inch (½ cm) thick if making pies and tarts or roll out to desired thickness for cookies.

If making pies and tarts

1. Pick the pastry up by rolling it over the rolling pin carefully then lay it over a tart or pie case greased with butter tucking in the sides until it fits evenly. Roll the rolling pin over the tart case to cut the edges (you can also trim the edge with a knife).

2. Prick the base with a fork then place back in the fridge for 30 minutes.

3. Fill with filling of choice and bake as directed in recipe.

Kitchen notes

• Measuring in cups If measuring the flour in cups spoon the flour into the cups but do not level off.
• Cold butter Make sure your butter is extra cold straight from the fridge and try not to handle it often so it stays nice and cold for as long as possible.
• Texture of pastry The shortcrust pastry may seem dry as your mixing it together but don't be tempted to add any water or extra butter it does come together into a solid ball within a couple of minutes.
• Chill the dough It's important to let the dough rest and stiffen up in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before rolling out.
• Variations you can add citrus zest such as lemon and orange to the dry ingredients to add a fresh and zingy flavour!