3 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
a pinch of baking soda dissolved in 1 tsp lemon juice
4 egg yolks
1 cup butter unsalted
3/4 cup sugar
2 tbs cognac
1 tsp vanilla extract
500 ml (about 1 1/2 cups) apricot jam
1. Preheat the oven to 180C.
2. Beat the sugar with butter until fluffy. Then add the egg yolks one at a time, beating the mix well after each egg yolk. Add the lemon, cognac and the vanilla. Then, by hand, add the flour, baking powder until a nice soft dough is formed.
3. I like to make the pasta flora quite thin and into cookies. Divide the dough in half. Press half of the dough flat into the bottom of the pan (15 inches by 10 inches). Spread the jam on top. Take the remaining dough and roll a long thin roll and place it on top of the jam so it follows the outer edge of the rectangular pan.
4. Make more rolls and place them diagonally over the jam to create a diamond pattern, as in the pattern above. If you wish, then place small roasted almond pieces in each diamond pattern. Place in the oven and cook for about 35 to 40 minutes., until the dough is golden brown in colour. Remove from oven and let cool.
5. Once cool, cut into as many bite size squares as you wish.