Pasta Flora, Athens Style

Pasta Flora is the lattice-topped jam tart you’ll find in every Greek bakery, but this Athens-style version goes well beyond a simple jam filling. Stewed apricots, dried figs soaked in Cognac, raisins, apricot preserves, orange zest, and lemon juice all cook down together into a thick, complex fruit paste that tastes like concentrated sunshine.

The pastry dough is rich and tender. Half a pound of butter creamed with sugar, egg, and 3 tablespoons of Cognac, then mixed with just enough flour to form a soft, workable dough. The Cognac adds a warm, brandy-laced flavor that runs through every bite and complements the dried fruit filling beautifully.

Chilling the dough for at least 30 minutes before rolling is what keeps it manageable. This is a soft, butter-heavy dough that gets sticky fast at room temperature.

Kitchen Tips

• Soak the figs and raisins in Cognac until swollen. This rehydrates them and infuses them with brandy flavor. Don’t skip this step or the dried fruit stays tough and chewy.
• Cook the filling until thick. It should hold its shape on a spoon. Runny filling soaks into the pastry and makes the bottom soggy.
• Chill the dough properly. Thirty minutes minimum. Soft, warm dough tears when you try to roll it and shrinks in the oven.
• Use only enough extra flour to make a soft dough. The recipe says to finish by hand and add flour gradually. Too much flour makes the pastry tough instead of crumbly and tender.

Variations

• Classic jam version: For a simpler, everyday Pasta Flora, skip the fruit mixture and use 1½ cups of good-quality apricot or strawberry jam as the filling.
• Walnut addition: Fold ¼ cup finely chopped walnuts into the fruit filling for a nutty texture that pairs well with the figs and raisins.