Pasta Frolla is a classic Italian sweet shortcrust pastry with a tender, buttery crumb. Made from simple ingredients—butter, sugar, eggs, and flour—it bakes into a soft yet sturdy dough perfect for tarts, crostate, bars, and cookies. Lightly sweet and delicately flavored, it’s a staple of traditional Italian baking.
I rely on this recipe when I want a foolproof, easy-to-handle shortcrust that rolls smoothly and resists shrinking, tearing, or sticking. It works beautifully for classic tarts such as Torta Della Nonna or an apple crostata, and it also makes excellent bases for shortcrust bars and shortbread-style cookies.
The key difference in this version is the use of ’00’ flour, often labeled pizza flour. Its slightly higher gluten content helps the dough bind smoothly and roll without tearing while still producing a tender, delicate crust. If you cannot find ’00’ flour, bleached all-purpose flour will work as a substitute.
Key Ingredients
The full ingredient list and measurements appear in the recipe block below.
- ’00’ pizza flour — gives a smooth, easy-to-roll dough. Substitute bleached all-purpose flour if needed.
- Cold unsalted butter — keeps the pastry tender by coating the flour with fat. Warm butter releases water and encourages gluten development, which makes crusts tougher.
- Powdered sugar — helps produce a delicate, crumbly texture; it often contains a small amount of starch that improves tenderness. For a slightly crumblier finish, you can use granulated sugar.
- Cold eggs — supply the liquid to bring the dough together and help the crust hold its shape while baking.
Two Ways To Make This Recipe
You can make this dough either in a food processor (fast and convenient) or by hand in a large bowl. Both methods yield the same reliable result; choose the one you prefer.
Using the Food Processor
Pulse the dry ingredients, add cold, diced butter and pulse until the butter is pea-sized, then add beaten eggs with vanilla and process just until the dough comes together. Press into a disk, wrap, and chill.
Using A Large Bowl
Combine the dry ingredients, grate or rub cold butter into the flour until evenly distributed, then add the beaten eggs and vanilla. Mix gently until the dough comes together, shape into a disk, wrap, and chill.
Rolling and Transferring the Dough
There are several ways to line a pan with shortcrust, but a reliable method is to roll the dough into a circle, fold it in half twice to form a triangle, then place the tip of the triangle at the center of the pan and unfold. This centers the dough and makes lining the pan easier. If the dough softens or becomes sticky while rolling, chill it briefly to firm up.
Blind Bake
This pastry is ideal for prefilled tarts with creams or fresh fruit. For blind baking: prick the bottom with a fork, freeze the lined pan for 30 minutes to help it hold its shape, line with parchment, and fill with pie weights. Bake, then allow the crust to cool slightly before removing weights so it doesn’t shrink.
Storing and Make-Ahead Tips
The dough keeps well: refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 6 weeks (some recipes note three months, but six weeks is a safe guideline). Thaw frozen dough overnight in the refrigerator before using. If it becomes too firm to roll after chilling, let it sit at room temperature for 10–15 minutes.
To freeze, wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap and place it in a freezer bag. Baked tarts and cookies store at room temperature for up to five days; follow any specific guidance for fillings if they are perishable.
Pasta Frolla | Foolproof Multipurpose Shortcrust
10 mins
20 mins
1 9 or 10-inch double crust
Dikla Levy Frances
Ingredients
- 3 3/4 Cups (450g) ’00’ flour
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 Cup (120g) powdered sugar
- Zest of half a lemon
- 1 Cup (225g) unsalted butter, cold
- 2 large whole eggs, cold
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or extract
Instructions
Food Processor Method
- Place the flour (450g), baking powder (1/4 tsp), salt (1/2 tsp), powdered sugar (120g) and lemon zest in the food processor bowl. Pulse 2–3 times to combine.
- Cut the cold butter (225g) into 1/2-inch pieces, add to the bowl, and pulse until the butter is the size of small peas.
- Beat the eggs (2) with the vanilla, add to the mixture, and process just until the dough forms a smooth mass.
- Wrap the dough in plastic, press into a disk, and refrigerate at least 30 minutes or up to three days.
Bowl Method
- Mix the flour (450g), baking powder (1/4 tsp), salt (1/2 tsp), lemon zest, and powdered sugar (120g) in a large bowl.
- Grate or cube the cold butter (225g), add to the dry ingredients, and rub with your fingertips until evenly distributed.
- Beat the eggs (2) with the vanilla. Make a well in the center and pour in the eggs.
- Use a spatula or fork to gradually incorporate the eggs, then bring the dough together with your hands.
- Wrap the dough in plastic, press into a disk, and refrigerate at least 30 minutes or up to three days.
Rolling and Handling
- Remove chilled dough, roll into a 12-inch circle on a lightly floured surface.
- Fold the dough in half, then in half again to form a triangle for easy transfer.
- Place the triangle tip in the center of a 9-inch tart pan, unfold, and gently press into the sides.
- Trim excess dough by rolling a pin across the top of the pan.
Blind Baking
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C) and place a baking sheet on the lower rack.
- Prick the bottom of the dough with a fork, line with parchment, and fill with pie weights or dry beans.
- Bake for 15 minutes, then remove from oven and let cool 10–15 minutes before removing weights.
- Return to the oven for an additional 5 minutes for a par-baked shell, or 10–12 minutes for fully baked. Cool completely before filling.
Notes
- Unbaked dough can be refrigerated up to two to three days.
- To freeze, wrap tightly and place in a freezer bag for up to six weeks. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before using.
- Avoid overworking the dough—stop as soon as it comes together to keep the texture tender.
- Blind bake when filling with unbaked custards or fresh fruit to prevent sogginess.