Free-Form Tart Shells

Flaky Pastry Dough
Egg wash made with 1 egg yolk and 2 teaspoons water

Turn the pastry dough out onto a lightly floured board and divide it into quarters for small, 7-inch tart shells or in half for large 10-inch tart shells.  Shape 1 piece into a disk and dust the top lightly with flour.  Begin to roll out the dough, using quick but gentle strokes.  Rotate the dough 1/4 turn each time you roll to be sure it is not sticking, and use additional flour as necessary.

When the round is larger that 9 inches for a small tart or 12 inches for a large tart, and about 1/8-inch thick, turn a 9- or 12-inch plate or bowl upside down on the dough as a template and cut around it with a sharp knife.  Remove the plate or bowl.

To form the edges, begin by folding a 1-inch-long section over by 1/2 inch, then overlap the fold by half and roll another piece of dough over, pinching it firmly in place.  Continue to roll and pinch, forming a twisted rope pattern.  

Roll out the remaining dough and crimp the edges in the same manner.

Transfer the pastry shells to baking sheets lined with parchment paper and poke the interior of the shells all over with the tines of a fork.  Refrigerate the pastry for at least 30 minutes or up to 24 hours.  

Heat the oven to 375 F.  Brush the rims of the tarts with egg wash.  Bake the tart shells, one sheet at a time, for 15 minutes, then reduce the heat to 350 F and continue to bake until they are an even golden brown, 8 to 12 minutes longer.  Lift up a shell with a spatula and check that the underside is evenly brown.  If the tart shells puff up during baking, press down on the center of the pastry with the back of a large spoon.  Let cool on the baking sheet.

Makes 4 7-inch or 2 10-inch tart shells.

From The Herbfarm Cookbook, by Jerry Traunfeld

Notes:
Unbaked shells can be frozen on the parchment-lined baking sheets and, when they are frozen, stack them inside freezer bags.  Bake the shells without defrosting them first. 

Shells can be baked up to 24 hours in advance.  Store the shells in large resealable plastic bags or in a large, flat, airtight container until ready to fill.  If the tarts have a filling that does not require further baking, refresh the shells by putting them in a 350 F oven for 5 minutes, then allow them to cool again; this will ensure crispness.  Always fill the tart shells as close to serving time as possible.