Pasta frolla is the sweet shortcrust pastry used in Italian baking (think crostata). A rich dough made with flour, butter, egg and powdered sugar. Looking at the ingredient list, pasta frolla is similar to French pâte sucrée, but the Italian version of sweet shortcrust calls for less butter than the French one. This results in a firmer texture, while keeping the flavour quite similar.

Whether you are making Italian classics such as crostata or torta della nonna or any other type of tart that requires a sweet shortcrust pastry shell, this simple pasta frolla recipe will have your back. It is easy, comes together in just a few minutes in a food processor, and delivers a reliable pie crust with a sweet buttery flavour that will complement any filling.

For a savoury alternative, check out my savoury pie crust recipe.

Sweet shortcrust pastry ingredients

Here’s what you will need to make one batch of pasta frolla good for a 24-cm tart pan:

• 165 g flour – regular unleavened flour, Italians would use “00”
• 85 g butter – cold from the fridge; I prefer to use salted but it’s not a must
• 1 egg – better if at room temperature
• 50 g powdered sugar – its finer texture is preferred to granulated sugar.

For more detailed quantities and to convert into American measurements, please refer to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

How to make pasta frolla

• Add the flour and powdered sugar to a food processor and pulse to combine.
• Add the cold butter, cubed, and blitz again until the texture of the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

• Add the egg, whole, and start the blades again.
• Stop the food processor once the dough gathers into a ball.

• Cover the ball in cling film and place in the fridge to rest for a minimum of 15 minutes.
• Roll out on a gently floured surface with a rolling pin, transfer to tart pan and chill in the freezer for 10 minutes before baking.

How to transfer into a tart pan

The best way to transfer a pre-rolled dough onto a tart pan is by using a rolling pin. Make sure you have rolled out your dough on a gently floured surface, as this will help minimize the risk of it sticking to the table.

When rolling out the dough, make sure its size is larger than that of the tart pan: the dough will have to reach all the way up to its sides and have some excess. Place the rolling pin over the dough and lift from one side, gently folding it over the rolling pin. Gently lift the dough having it hanging over the rolling pin and move it over to the tart pan. Once over the tart pan, unroll the dough onto it.

Gently flatten the sides and bottom so that it neatly adheres to the tin. Have any excess dough hang out from the sides and press the rolling pin on the edges to cut it off.

Sweet shortcrust pastry useful tips

Always chill your pastry before baking. Ideally, you want to chill your dough for 15 minutes before rolling it out. Just wrap it with cling film and place in the fridge. Then, after rolling out, the dough needs to be chilled again. Another 15 minutes in the freezer is, really, what you need. It needs to become quite stiff and hard. It will have to go into the oven directly from the freezer. This helps reduce the risk of shrinkage as it bakes.

Prick the bottom and sides with a fork. This is especially important if you need to bake (or pre-bake) your pie shell empty. Tiny pokes in the dough will prevent it from inflating as it bakes. This is always a very useful trick when making shortcrust, and it is especially important when such ingredients as eggs or baking powder are included in the dough, as those act as leavening agents and make the dough raise. If you need to bake an empty pie crust, the use of baking beads (or dried beans) can be helpful to keep the bottom flat. But in my experience, the fork poking already works well enough I don’t normally use pie weights.

Pasta frolla recipe inspiration

Now that you know how to make your Italian shortcrust pastry, it’s time to get creative with the fillings! Here’s some recipe inspiration for your next baking adventures:

• Swedish blueberry pie
• Ginger lemon pie
• Mascarpone chocolate tartelettes
• Apple cinnamon mini pies
• Custard tarts with fresh raspberries
• Blueberry streusel pie

Or bake empty tart shells and fill them with my mascarpone cream for the ultimate tiramisu pies.

If you tried this recipe, let me know your thoughts in the comments. If you’re planning to try it another time, pin this recipe to Pinterest. Please consider subscribing to my newsletter and following me on Instagram and on Pinterest.