Pasta Flora Recipe (Greek Jam Tart)
This Pasta Flora is a classic Greek jam tart made with a tender, buttery crust, apricot jam filling, and a simple crisscross topping.
Servings 12 slices, approximately
Equipment
- 28 cm / 11-inch tart pan or a 9 × 13-inch baking pan
- fluted pastry wheel (optional)
- pastry brush
- offset spatula
- parchment paper
Ingredients
Dough
- 4 cups all-purpose flour 500 g
- 1 ¼ cups unsalted butter cold and cubed (280 g)
- 1 ¼ cups powdered sugar 150 g
- ½ cup finely ground almond flour 50 g
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
Filling & Egg Wash
- 1 ½ cups apricot jam 480 g
- 1 large egg beaten
- 1 tablespoon milk
Instructions
Prep the Pan
- Butter an 11-inch (28 cm) tart pan or a 9 × 13-inch (23 x 33cm) baking pan and set it aside.
Make the Dough
- In a food processor, pulse the flour, butter, powdered sugar, almond flour, and salt in short bursts until the mixture looks like coarse, sandy crumbs.4 cups all-purpose flour, 1 ¼ cups unsalted butter, 1 ¼ cups powdered sugar, ½ cup finely ground almond flour, ½ teaspoon salt
- Add the vanilla and eggs. Pulse in short 1-second bursts just until the dough starts to clump together. Stop as soon as it does, don't overmix.1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 2 large eggs
- Turn the dough out and weigh it. Remove 280g, about a quarter of the dough, and wrap it separately. This is your topping dough. Set it aside for now.
Line and Chill the Shell
- Press the base dough evenly across the bottom and up the sides of the prepared pan with your fingers. Prick the base all over with a fork. Chill the dough for 15 minutes.
Preheat the Oven
- Preheat the oven to 165°C / 330°F. Use a conventional oven, not fan-forced, and place a rack in the lower-middle position.
Shape the Topping
- Choose one topping style: traditional cords or cut strips.
- Traditional cords: Divide the reserved dough evenly into 10–12 pieces, about 5–6 per direction. Roll each piece between your palms into ropes long enough to span the pan, about 1 cm / ⅜ inch thick. Place the ropes on a tray or piece of parchment paper and refrigerate for a few minutes to firm up. Work with them chilled but not fridge-hard, or they may crack.
- Cut strips: Roll the reserved topping dough between two sheets of parchment paper into a rough square slightly larger than the pan, about 4 mm thick. Cut into 10–12 strips, about ½ inch / 1.5 cm wide, using a plain or fluted pastry wheel. Freeze the cut strips for 12–15 minutes, or until firm enough to lift easily.
Fill and Arrange
- Spread the apricot jam evenly over the chilled tart shell.1 ½ cups apricot jam
- Cords: Lay 5–6 ropes per direction across the tart in a diagonal or square grid, pressing the ends gently into the rim. No weaving needed.Strips: Lay 5–6 strips per direction over the jam in a simple crisscross pattern, pressing the ends gently into the rim so they attach to the crust.
Make the Egg Wash and Bake
- Beat the egg with the milk, then brush it over the topping. Bake for 40–45 minutes, or until the topping is golden and the pastry is baked through. Check at the 40-minute mark. If the top browns too quickly, loosely cover it with foil.1 large egg, 1 tablespoon milk
Cool
- Let the Pasta Flora cool completely before slicing. The jam will firm up as it cools.
- Enjoy!
Notes
- Don’t overmix the dough. Pulse just until it starts to clump, or the crust may become tough.
- The dough will feel soft and moist, but don’t add extra flour. Press it evenly into the pan with your fingers.
- Use thick jam or preserves for the best texture.
- Chill the lined tart shell before adding the jam. This helps the dough firm up and keeps the sides from slumping.
- If making strips, roll the topping dough between parchment paper. A pastry wheel gives neat edges, but a ruler and knife also work.
- After cutting the strips, freeze them briefly so they’re easier to lift. Slide an offset spatula underneath to lift them onto the tart.
- A removable-bottom tart pan makes it easier to remove the Pasta Flora without damaging the crust.
- Let the tart cool completely before slicing so the jam can set and the slices hold their shape.
