Ionian Pasta Flora (Πάστα Φλώρα Ιονίου)

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •24cm square metal baking pan or 26cm round tart pan
• •small heavy saucepan for reducing spoon sweet
• •rolling pin

Instructions

1. 1

   Thicken the fruit

   If your jam is already thick enough to sit in a mound, leave it alone. If you're using spoon sweet, chop the fruit small and simmer it with its syrup in a small pan for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring often, until it drops heavily from the spoon. Stir in the lemon juice only if the fruit tastes too sweet. Let it cool completely before it touches the dough.

   A loose filling is the common failure here. Pasta Flora should cut into squares, not slide across the plate.
2. 2

   Mix the dough

   Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. In a second bowl, beat the softened butter and sugar until creamy, then beat in the egg, yolk, brandy, orange zest, and vanilla. Add the flour mixture and mix just until a soft dough forms. Stop there. Overworking makes it tough.

3. 3

   Rest it cold

   Divide off one quarter of the dough for the lattice. Flatten both pieces into discs, wrap them, and chill for 25 minutes. The butter firms up, the dough stops sticking to everything, and you can shape the tart without adding too much flour.

4. 4

   Shape the base

   Heat the oven to 175C. Lightly butter a 24cm square pan or a 26cm round tart pan. Press the larger piece of dough evenly over the base and a little up the sides, about 5mm thick. Spread the cooled fruit filling over it, leaving a narrow clean edge.

5. 5

   Lay the lattice

   Roll the smaller piece of dough into thin ropes, or roll it out and cut 1.5cm strips. Lay them over the filling in a simple cross lattice. Don't fuss over perfect weaving. A home Pasta Flora should look handled by human hands. Brush the lattice lightly with milk.

6. 6

   Bake and cool

   Bake for 32 to 38 minutes, until the edges are golden and the lattice is lightly browned. Cool in the pan for at least 1 hour before cutting. The filling sets as it cools, and that is when the squares become clean.

Chef Tips

• •Quince is the old, firm choice, especially if you have a good spoon sweet. Apricot is the everyday zaharoplasteio flavor. Strawberry is often too loose unless you cook it down first.
• •Butter gives the cleanest shortcrust. Some island kitchens use a little olive oil in sweets, but for Pasta Flora the tender butter dough is the version to record here.
• •It keeps well for 3 days in a tin at room temperature. Don't refrigerate it unless your kitchen is very hot, because the pastry firms and loses its tenderness.

Advance Preparation

• •Make the tart a day ahead; Pasta Flora cuts more cleanly once the fruit filling has fully set.
• •The dough can be chilled up to 24 hours. Let it soften for 10 minutes before pressing it into the pan.
• •The spoon sweet filling can be reduced and cooled 2 days ahead, then kept covered in the refrigerator.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 65g)