One Dough, Many Tarts: Mastering the Versatile Pasta Frolla

The pasta frolla recipe used for this blackberry and bay crostata is an incredibly versatile dough that can become the foundation for a wide range of desserts. Once you master this one simple pastry, you open up a world of Italian baking possibilities.
This dough is not just for lattice-topped tarts. You can use the same recipe to create a fully blind-baked tart shell, which can then be filled with a variety of no-bake fillings. Imagine filling it with a lemon curd and topping it with meringue, or filling it with a rich chocolate ganache, or a creamy pastry cream topped with fresh fruit.
The dough is also perfect for making Italian cookies. Simply roll out the chilled dough, use cookie cutters to cut out shapes, and bake them until golden brown. These buttery, crumbly cookies, known as biscotti di pasta frolla, are delicious on their own or can be sandwiched together with a little of your leftover blackberry jam.
You can also use it to make smaller, individual tartlets, or crostatine. These are perfect for parties or for portion control. Simply divide the dough among small tartlet tins and fill them with jam before baking.
Don’t be afraid to flavor the dough itself. You could add the zest of a lemon or an orange to the butter and sugar mixture for a citrusy note, or a teaspoon of vanilla extract or a pinch of cinnamon for added warmth. Mastering this one pasta frolla recipe gives you a reliable and delicious base for countless creative dessert endeavors.