Argentinian-style quince pie (Pasta Frola-inspired)
🌱🍰🇦🇷 Grandma Sita learns with María how to make delicious Argentinian-style quince pie. This easy plant-based recipe is inspired by the popular “Pasta Frola” which is a classic Argentinian dessert. You’ll give this unique and delicious quince pie a try. You’ll love it!
INGREDIENTS
*For the shortcrust
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup cold plant-based butter/margarine
2 tablespoons water
1 orange zest
A pinch of salt
*For the filling
1 cup homemade or store-bought quince paste
For this recipe, we made a thick compote from 2 quinces and 3 apples.
METHOD
*For the shortcrust.
1. Mix the dry ingredients (flour, salt, baking powder, and sugar) in a medium bowl.
2. Cut the plant-based butter into pieces, and mix them into dry ingredients, until well blended.
3. Add orange zest and water to the flour mixture, blending gently with a fork until the dough comes together.
4. Knead a couple of times to just barely mix the dough. If needed, add an extra tablespoon or so of flour or juice from the squashed orange.
5. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and chill for at least 30 minutes
*For assembly
1. In a small bowl, add the quince paste with ½ cup water and heat it up, until the quince is softer.
2. Smash it with a fork to get a more spreadable consistency. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
3. Preheat the oven to 180 º C. Oil and line the base and sides of a tart pan with baking parchment.
4. Roll out about 3/4 of the dough on a floured surface into a circle large enough to line the bottom and sides of the tart pan. Place the dough in the pan. Bake for 10 minutes until the crust is a bit golden brown.
5. Let stand 10 minutes before spreading the filling over the dough semi-done.
6. Roll the remaining dough, and cut thin strips of dough, using them to make a lattice pattern over the top of the tart.
7. Bake for 25-30 minutes until the crust is golden brown.
8. Serve warm or at room temperature and Bon appetite!
😋 “Pasta Frola” recipe lends itself well to different versions, instead of quince paste, you can pretty much use any type of jam or marmalade of your choice, as long as it’s a bit solid, and it’s very common to see it with sweet potato jam or even dulce de leche in Argentina.
🧓🏻❤️ Grandma Sita tip: You can easily prepare the shortcrust and stick it into the freezer. You just have to thaw it a few hours before baking the tart and done! And you can also bake it with the quince paste and everything cut it, and freeze it like that. It’s so good, even if it’s frozen.
➡️ “Pasta Frola” (or quince pie), the two magic words. Each family has its recipe in Argentina. T The crust is soft, crumbly pastry, with lots of quince paste for the filling and the beautiful golden brown laces decorated top. There’s even a saying in Argentina: “La vida no es una pasta frola” (English: Life is not a “pasta frola”.)
📗“Pasta frola” is another example of the influence of Italian food on Argentinian cuisine, its name comes from the Italian word for the shortbread crust, “pasta frolla”, which is used to make Italian “crostata” (jam pies). The filling has evolved to match South American tastes: usually “dulce de membrillo” (quince paste) or “dulce de leche”.
🤗🌎 Grandma Sita looks forward to the weekends because that’s the time she invites a grandchild into her kitchen to cook popular dishes from their countries and together get inspired to twist them into delicious new plant-based meals. Sustainability tastes great everywhere!