Pasta Flora


Pasta Flora

 


Cook: 30-40 min

Prep: 15 min

Serves: 8

 

Pasta flora is a buttery short crust pastry typically filled with a preserve or jam.

 

3 cups flour

1 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 large lemon, zested

2 heaping teaspoons baking powder

1/2-pound unsalted butter, frozen

3 tablespoons cognac

18 ounces apricot preserves

2 eggs, room temperature

 

 1 egg yolk


Combine flour, sugar and baking powder. Remove butter from freezer and cut into flour until pebbly looking. Blend flour mixture with 2 slightly beaten eggs, vanilla, lemon zest, and cognac. Divide dough, keeping 1/3 for lattice topping and 2/3 for the bottom of pan. Wrap the two rounds of dough in parchment paper or wax paper and place in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes (may refrigerate over-night). Prepare a 9x13-inch casserole dish with cooking spray. Line the bottom of the dish with the larger portion of dough. Spread the preserves evenly on the dough. Take the remaining dough and roll into 8 snake-like strips over a lightly covered surface of flour. Lay the strips at an angle on top of the jam in both directions. Brush lattice strips with slightly beaten egg yolk and bake at 3500F for 30-40 minutes until golden brown. When cool, cut into squares for serving.                 

A few Notes . . .
  1. Any flavored preserve or jam may be used. Preserves are preferred over jam because its chunkier texture. Apricot preserves are easily found in 18 ounce jars. If it's a little more or less, it should be fine depending on your preference. 
  2. After touting preserves, I tried lemon curd and loved the flavor and texture.
  3. Any form of cooking spray may be used such as non-flavored canola oil or PAM.
  4. You can use your hands or a Cuisinart to mix everything together.  I have used both ways with easy success. Or you could use a stand mixer.
  5. I cut up pieces of butter after taking it out freezer (after letting it sit for a minute) and then  put it in the Cuisinart until the butter is fully coated with flour and it looks pebbly. Some will use melted butter, but the ladies at church who make it every year for the Grecian Festival say it tastes better using cold butter. I agree.
Thanks to Ellie A. for her help.

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