This is my mom’s pasta flora recipe. Its really easy to make and really delicious. Of course, when mom made it, it was a bit prettier than this.

Disclaimer: Mom’s a great cook, but her recipes have evolved over the years. She cooks from memory and things aren’t scientific. This is my interpretation of her instructions.

Pasta Flora

4-5 cups self raising flour
1 cup butter
1 cup sugar (or less)
3 eggs
jam of your choice

Make a crumbly dough using the above ingredients (minus the jam of course!), then set it aside for 15min or so. Butter (or line) a large baking tray (or two smaller ones like I did above). Divide the dough in half roughly and using your fingers (palms, fists) flatten the dough to line the bottom of the tray. Spread jam over dough. Cut the rest of the dough into pieces and roll into ‘ropes’. Use these to create a lattice over the jam. If you have enough dough left over create a border as well. Bake in a moderate oven till golden brown.

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I don’t know what ‘crumbly’ dough is really, but I add flour till the dough feels right.

Maybe I am turning into my mother after all… whenever I queried her on the precise amount of an ingredient, she would say ‘you use your eye’.

z