Italian Olive Oil Shortcrust Pastry (Dairy-free)

olive oil shortcrust pastry on a white wood board, olive oil in a glass bottle and rolling pin on a striped kitchen cloth

Italian Olive Oil Shortcrust Pastry (Dairy-free)

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Italian

Prep Time: 5

Total Time: 5

Servings:

Calories: 252kcal

Author: Andrea Soranidis

Soft, crumbly and made without butter, this magic 5-ingredient Italian Olive Oil Shortcrust Pastry is a light dairy-free alternative to the classic version.

Print Recipe

Metric - US Customary

Ingredients

150 g confectioner sugar
a pinch of salt
90 ml extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium egg
1 medium egg yolk
zest of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon baking powder
280 g all-purpose flour

Instructions

In a bowl, combine the sugar, a pinch of salt, the oil, the whole egg and the yolk, and lemon zest. Stir with a fork, gradually add ⅔ of the flour and the baking powder until the dough begins to form.
Transfer the dough onto a work surface and continue to add the remaning flour, whilst working the dough with your hands until you have a smooth even dough (you might need a little less than 280 g). Use the dough straight away, or flatten the dough into a thick disc (it will make it easier to roll after), cover with cling film and chill for 30 min.
Use this dairy-free shortcrust pastry as you would use the traditional one, to make tarts, cookies, or pies.

Notes

Recipe Tips:

• The secret behind a great olive oil shortcrust pastry is choosing a good quality extra-virgin olive oil.

Choose an extra-virgin olive oil that is light, not too acidic or fruity, so that it doesn’t over-power the delicate flavour of the pastry.

• To achieve a perfect melt-in-your-mouth crumbly texture, remember not to overwork the pastry.

This will ensure that the crust remains flaky and delicate and doesn’t turn tough after baking.

• Avoid using cold eggs when making the pastry, as it would lead to a non-homogenous pastry.

Instead, let the eggs sit on the kitchen counter for about 30 minutes before using them.

How to use:

Use this dairy-free pasta frolla to make cookies, pies or the popular Italian jam tart (crostata di marmellata).

Storing tips:

For later use, simply roll the pastry dough into a disk, wrap it with cling film and freeze for up to 1 month.

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