Pasta Frolla and Crostata (Eggless)

This is the first month I am participating in The Daring Baker's Challenge. I was really thrilled. At the daring bakers Simona of Briciole challenged us with Pasta Frolla and Crostata. This was a very new recipe and I have never prepared pies or tarts. This was the first time I am trying a pie base and I had to prepare it eggless because I don't use eggs in my dishes. I am extremely sorry about the length of the post. I couldn't avoid it. As this is a different dish I had to explain in detail. For the whole month I have been browsing the net and watching videos of Crostata and I think I did a good job. Everyone liked it. I shared it with my neighbours also.It was crispy on top and little soft inside. It tastes good when served the next day( I read it in a blog)

Eggless Pasta Frolla:
Ingredients:

Flour-2cups

Very Cold Butter-3/4cup

Sugar-4tbs

Orange Juice-5tbs (I used the juice of one orange)

Grated Orange Zest-1tsp (I used the zest of one orange)

Salt-1/2tsp

Procedure:

Take flour in a wide bowl. Make a well at the centre.
Add all the ingredients except butter.
Grate butter with a grater on top of other ingredients.
Mix butter with other ingredients.
Now mix the butter mixture with flour using your finger tips.
Do not knead. Just gather the dough until the flour is incorporated into the dough.
Cover the dough with a plastic wrap and keep it in fridge for one hour. I kept it in the freezer to chill it faster.

Photo Tutorial:

Make well in centre of flour

Add the other ingredients

Mix with finger tips and prepare dough

Divide into two

Wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate

Eggless Ricotta Filling:

Ingredients:

Ricotta cheese-250gm(I used cottage cheese)

Sugar-50gm

Condensed Milk-2tbs

Juice and Zest of one lemon

Raisins -1tbs

Milk-2tbs

Flour-1tbs

Procedure:

In a jar add cheese, sugar, milk, condensed milk, lemon juice and flour and grind to a fine paste.
Take the paste in a bowl and mix in the lemon jest and raisins.
Ricotta filling is ready.

Crostata Ricetta

Procedure:

Grease and dust a cake pan.
Roll out the chilled pasta frolla into a circle three inches bigger than your pan.
Gently lift the rolled pastry dough using the rolling pin and place it on the pan.
Smooth out the dough to the shape of the pan and trim the excess dough using a knife.
Decorate the edges with a fork or a spoon.
Fill the pan with the ricotta filling.
Roll out the excess dough into a square and cut long and thin strips using a pastry cutter.
Arrange the strips on the prepared pastry so that it resembles interlaced strips.
Bake at 175C for 35 minutes or till the crust is golden brown.
Remove from oven and let it cool.
Remove from the pan and serve.
This tastes even better when served after a day.
Instead of preparing it in a big pan, you can also prepare it in small cup moulds as shown in the photo tutorial.

hoto Tutorial:

Lift with rolling pin

Place inside the tin carefully

Trim sides and prick base with fork

Fill with cheese filling

Cross weave the stripes

Place a rope along the side

Press with a fork

Cut dough to the size of cup, trim and press the sides

Fill with cheese and decorate centre with dough

Place a cherry in the middle

Crostata Marmallata

Procedure:

Grease and dust a cake tin.
Roll out the pasta frolla into a circle.
Place the pan on the rolled dough and mark the base on the dough. Cut it out.
Place the cut circle inside the pan.
Roll the remaining dough into a thin rope and place it on the circle inside the pan and along the edge.
With a fork decorate the roll.
Apply a layer of jam of your choice on the inner circle..
Interlace with the excess dough strips.
You can also decorate it with roses prepared with the pasta frolla.
Bake at 175C till the crust is golden brown.