Pasta frola is a quince tart from Argentina, although like many Argentine recipes, it has its roots in Italy. It's made with a simple shortcrust pastry dough enhanced with citrusy orange zest. Filled with a fruity, thick quince jam and topped with a simple lattice design, this is an easy tart that highlights the unique apple-pear flavor of quince with a beautiful presentation.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar on medium speed until well combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add orange zest and mix again.
Add flour, salt and baking powder. Mix on medium low speed until mixture resembles fine sand. Scrape down the bowl several times to ensure no large pieces of butter remain.
Add egg and egg yolk. Mix on low speed just until mixture comes together. Do not over mix.
1 large egg, 1 large egg yolk
Gather dough into a rectangle. Separate the dough into two uneven portions - one should be ⅔ of the dough, and the other should be ⅓. Flatten each dough piece into a round disc.
Roll out the larger piece of dough between two pieces of parchment paper (or a lightly floured surface, if you don't have parchment). It should be about ⅛" thick and the circle should be an inch wider than your tart pan on each side. Peel the parchment off of the top, and then replace. Flip the dough over while still sandwiched between parchment layers. Peel off the second parchment layer and discard.
Carefully flip the dough upside down onto the top of the tart pan. Gently press the dough down into the pan while lifting up the overhang on the sides, ensuring that no empty air space remains between the dough and the pan. If any cracks or tears occur, patch with extra dough scraps. I like to fold the overhanging dough in and down to meet the inside base of the tart, creating a somewhat thicker crust on the edge. Press firmly to ensure dough is packed in tightly. Place in refrigerator to chill for at least 30 minutes. You will trim the overhang later.
Meanwhile, roll out the second piece of dough between two sheets of parchment. Place on a sheet pan and chill in the refrigerator as well. While the dough is chilling, make the quince paste filling.
Quince Paste Filling
Chop the quince paste into small cubes. Place in a medium saucepan (2 quart, 1.9 liter) along with orange juice. Stir over low heat until cubes fully dissolve and reach the consistency of smooth, thick jam. You may need to mash the cubes with the back of a spoon. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
Place a sheet pan in the oven on the middle rack. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (177 Celsius, Gas mark 4).
Trim the excess dough from the border of the tart with a knife held parallel to your work surface to ensure the the tart shell has a clean edge. Place back in refrigerator to chill.
Remove the smaller sheet of dough from the refrigerator. Loosen both layers of parchment paper, but keep the dough on a parchment base. Using a ruler and a sharp knife, cut the dough into long ½ inch wide strips. Place back on sheet pan into refrigerator to chill.
When the quince paste is cool, place it into the chilled tart crust and use a mini offset spatula or the back of a spoon to level and smooth the filling. Place half of the lattice strips on the tart in one direction, spacing them about ½" apart. Press down gently on the edges to seal them. Use a knife to trim the ends that overhang. Turn the tart 90 degrees (one ¼ turn) and place the remaining half of the lattice strips perpendicular to the bottom layer. Trim the ends.
Place tart in refrigerator to chill for 10 minutes.
Bake for 40-45 minutes, until crust is golden brown. Check the crust at 30 minutes. If outside edge of crust is already turning golden, cover with a pie shield or strips of aluminum foil.
Place on a baking rack to cool. Once somewhat cooler, use a pastry brush to brush the outer crust with orange marmalade. Sprinkle with finely shredded coconut.