How to Make Bianca's Almond Fig Pasta Frolla

Along Washington Boulevard in Culver City, Bianca brings a taste of Italy to Los Angeles. The restaurant is named after the grandmother of owners Gianni and Nicola Vietina— serving as a way to honor her charming hospitality and devotion to delectable cooking.

Bianca, and more notably their bakery, also runs under the Vietinas’ partnership with Federico Fernandez, the former executive pastry chef at the Four Seasons Hotel. He and wife Marisa work side-by-side at the restaurant and together they most enjoy sharing the traditional flavors they grew up with and the culture behind them with Bianca’s guests.

Among the menu of delicacies is pasta frolla, a classic, sweet tart introduced in Argentina by Italian immigrants. In Argentina, the confection is usually served in the afternoon and enjoyed with yerba mate. Typically, pasta frolla is filled with quince paste or sweet potato jam or any jam of preference, really. To whip up your own, Federico has shared a lovely summer variation that features almonds and fresh figs. Follow the directions below to indulge in your own pasta frolla!

Ingredients

Dough Ingredients

• 120 gr. Butter
• 80 gr. Sugar
• 1 ea. Yolk
• 150 Gr. AP Flour
• ¼ ts. Baking Soda

Almond Cream Ingredients

• 9 oz. Butter
• 9 oz. Sugar
• 5 ea. Eggs
• 1 oz. AP Flour
• 9 oz. Almond flour
• ½ ts. Orange zest

Method:

1. Dough: In a mixer with a paddle attachment cream butter and sugar until white and fluffy. Scrape down the sides and bottom and add the yolk. Mix until combined. Scrape the sides again and add sifted dried ingredients. Mix until dough forms and separate from the side of the bowl. Wrap dough with plastic wrap and chill for at least 2 hours before use.
2. Almond Cream: In a mixer cream butter and sugar. Scrape down the sides and bottom and add eggs one at a time, scrape down the sides after each addition. Combine almond flour, AP flour and orange zest together and add last.
3. Assembly: Take chilled pasta frolla dough and rolled in lightly floured surface until approximately 1/8 inch thick. Cover a 9” flutted tart pan with removable bottom with the dough. Pipe a layer on almond cream on the bottom and spread evenly. Then spread a thin layer of jam on top. Roll the remaining of the pasta frolla dough and cut strips around ½ inch wide. Arrange in a lattice design over jam. Bake in a preheated oven at 325 for about 45-50 minutes.

Visit Bianca at 8850 Washington Blvd in Culver City.

See also: Weekly Recipe: Guacamole by Chef Lorena Garcia