Pasta Frolla (Short Pastry Dough)

Pasta Frolla "Short Pastry Dough"
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Recipe By: bakers at Il Fornaio
Yield: 1 1/4 lbs dough


Ingredients:


2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 Teaspoon salt
7/8 cups unsalted butter (1 3/4 sticks) at room temperature
1 Whole egg
1 egg yolk
3/4 Teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 Teaspoon lemon extract
Additional flour for work surface and hands


Directions:


In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, salt, and butter. Using a hand-held mixer set on low speed, beat until the mixture is crumbly and forms pea-sized balls.


In a separate bowl combine the whole egg, egg yolk, and vanilla and lemon extracts and lightly beat together with a fork. Add the egg lightly beat together with a fork. Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture and beat on low speed until a rough, shaggy mass forms.


Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Dust your hands with flour and knead the dough until it is smooth and all the ingredients are thoroughly incorporated, about 1 minute.


Wrap and chill for at least 1 hour before using, or store for up to 4 days. If chilled for longer than 1 hour, the dough will be quite hard. Let it warm slightly before beginning to work with it. You can press on it a few times with a rolling pin to make it more malleable. Do not handle it too much or it will bake up tough. Makes about 1 1/4 pounds dough


Notes:


This butter-rich pastry, which crumbles deliciously in the mouth, is the base for a myriad of Italian sweets, from the raisin-laden Garibaldi cookie to a variety of fruit-filled tarts. The recipe yields enough dough to make two ten-inch tarts. When you roll it out, note the thickness specified in the recipe. It is important that a tart shell not be too thick, so you may find yourself rolling a larger round than necessary to line the pan. The pastry scraps can be used for making a few small sugar-dusted cookies. Do not reroll the scraps more than once, however, because the dough will toughen. This dough also can be frozen, well wrapped, for up to two weeks. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before using.