Fresh Cherry Crostata

Tart Dough:
1 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1/4 pound) chilled unsalted butter, cut into tablespoon-size pieces
2 tablespoons ice water, or more if needed
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Filling:
4 cups pitted fresh cherries (don't pit more than an hour or two before baking)
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon unbleached all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 egg yolk beaten with 1 tablespoon heavy cream for egg wash
2 teaspoons coarse sugar

Make the tart dough:

Combine the flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor and pulse to blend. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture forms coarse crumbs. Stir together the ice water and vanilla and sprinkle it over the flour mixture. Pulse just until a dough forms, adding a little extra ice water if necessary. Shape the dough into a 1-inch-thick round. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Put a pizza stone in the oven and heat the oven to 425 F for 45 minutes. 

Remove the dough from the refrigerator about 15 minutes before rolling to soften it slightly.

Place the dough round between two sheets of parchment paper and roll into a 13-inch round, flouring the round lightly as needed to keep the dough from sticking. Remove the top sheet of the parchment. Slide a pizza peel or rimless baking sheet under the bottom sheet of parchment.

Make the filling:

Combine the cherries, sugar, flour, and cinnamon in a bowl and toss well. Fill the center of the dough round with the cherries in an even layer, leaving a border of about 1 1/2 inches. Fold the border up and over the cherries to make a rim. Brush the rim with egg wash, then sprinkle with coarse sugar. Trim excess parchment with scissors.

Use the pizza peel or baking sheet to transfer the crostata, still with the parchment underneath, to the heated stone. Bake until the crust is nicely browned and the cherries are bubbling, about 40 minutes.  Remove from the oven with the peel or baking sheet and let cool on a rack for 15 minutes before serving. Serve warm.

Serves 8.

From Casual Cooking by Michael Chiarello

Almond Flour Pie Crust

2 1/2 cups almond flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 large egg, at room temperature, beaten
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled, or melted coconut oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
 
Butter a 9-inch pie pan.  Heat oven to 350°F.
 
In a large mixing bowl, combine the dry ingredients: almond flour, sugar, and salt.  Stir in egg, butter, and vanilla extract.  Combine with a spatula at first, then knead with your hand to form a pie dough.
 
Place the dough ball in the center of two pieces of parchment paper and roll dough into a circle large enough to fill the pie pan.  Peel off the first piece of parchment paper, slide your hand under the second piece of parchment paper with the rolled dough on it, and quickly flip dough over into the pie pan.  Press the dough into the pan using the parchment paper, then peel off the paper.  Use extra dough that falls off to patch any holes.  Smooth with a spoon.
 
Prick the crust using a fork.  Cover the sides of the crust with foil to prevent them from darkening too fast.
 
Bake the crust for 15-20 minutes.  If the center puffs up, use a fork to prick and deflate it.
 
Remove from oven and add pie filling; return to the oven following the pie recipe to set the filling.  You can keep the foil protection on the side of the pan to prevent it from darkening.  Bake until the filling of your pie is set.
 
Note:
You can make ahead this pie crust up to 48 hours before use.  To freeze, flatten the dough ball into a thick disc, wrap it in plastic wrap, and place it in an airtight container; the double sealing prevents moisture from going into the crust.  To defrost: the day before making the pie, unwrap the dough, and place it on the kitchen countertop.
 
Makes 1 9-inch pie crust.
 
From SweetasHoney.co, with minor changes

Yeasted Olive Oil Pastry

2 teaspoons active dry yeast

1/2 cup lukewarm water

1/2 teaspoon sugar

1 large egg, at room temperature, beaten

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (more as needed)

3/4 teaspoon salt

Dissolve the yeast in the water, add the sugar, and allow to sit until creamy, about 5 minutes.  Beat in the egg and olive oil.  Combine the flour and salt, and stir into the yeast mixture; you can use a bowl and wooden spoon for this, or a mixer with the paddle attachment.  Work the dough until it comes together in a coherent mass, adding flour as necessary.  Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for a few minutes, adding flour as necessary, until the dough is smooth; do not overwork.  Shape dough into a ball.  Place in a lightly oiled bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap.  Allow to rise in a draft-free spot until doubled, about 1 hour.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, gently knead a couple of times, and cut into 2 equal pieces (or as directed in recipe).  Shape each piece into a ball.  Cover the dough loosely with plastic wrap and let rest for 5 minutes.  Then roll out into thin rounds, as directed for the recipe, and use in lightly oiled pans.

Notes: 

If not using right away, freeze the dough in the pan(s) to prevent it from rising and becoming too bready.  The dough can be transferred directly from the freezer to the oven.

You can make the dough a day ahead and refrigerate.  Once rolled out, the dough will keep for a month in the freezer, well-wrapped.

You can substitute 1/2 cup whole wheat flour for 1/2 cup of the all-purpose flour.

Makes enough for one 10- or 11-inch double-crusted torte, one galette, or two 10-inch tarts.

From Mediterranean Harvest by Martha Rose Shulman

Savory Galette Crust

1 stick cold unsalted butter
1 1/3 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 pinch sugar
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
1/3 cup ice water (only add as much as needed)

Make the dough:
(Can be made ahead and refrigerated for a day or two.)

Grate the butter into a small bowl and place in the freezer for about 8 to 10 minutes. In a large bowl, mix flour, salt, sugar, and cheese. When the butter is nice and cold, incorporate it into the flour mixture using a pastry cutter, your fingers, or a food processor. When the mixture begins to clump together, slowly add water, only adding as much as needed to form a ball – start with 1/4 cup and increase as you mix. You don’t want a wet dough. On a floured surface, shape ball into a disc and wrap tightly with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for an hour before using.

Assemble the galette:
Heat oven to 400°F.
 
Lay out a large sheet of parchment paper on your work surface. Remove dough from refrigerator and, with a lightly floured rolling pin, roll out dough into a somewhat round shape, about 1/8 inch thick. Fill with potatoes, vegetables, herbs, etc. Fold the edges of the dough over, brush with egg wash, and bake for about 45 to 50 minutes, until golden brown. Let cool for about 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

From Epicurious

Pate Brisee

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small pieces
2 to 3 tablespoons ice water
 
In the bowl of a food processor, combine flour, salt, and sugar. Add butter, and process until the mixture resembles coarse meal, 8 to 10 seconds.
 
With machine running, add ice water in a slow, steady stream through feed tube. Pulse until dough holds together without being wet or sticky; be careful not to process more than 30 seconds. To test, squeeze a small amount together: If it is crumbly, add more ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time.
 
Form dough into a single ball, flatten it into a disk, and wrap in plastic. Transfer to the refrigerator, and chill at least 1 hour. Dough may be stored, frozen, up to 1 month.
 
To par-bake the shell: Roll out the chilled dough as quickly as possible on a lightly-floured surface until is about 2 inches large all around than your pie pan. Either reverse the dough onto the rolling pin and unroll it over the mold or fold it into quarters and lay it over the mold, unfolding it. Press the dough lightly into the bottom of the pan, lifting the edges and working it gently down into the mold. Trim off excess dough by rolling the pin over the top of the mold.
 
With your thumbs, push the dough 1/8-inch above the edge of the mold, to make an even, rounded rim of dough around the inside circumference of the mold. You can then press a decorative edge around the rim of the pastry with the dull edge of a knife. Prick the bottom of the pastry with a fork at 1/2-inch intervals.
 
Line the pastry with foil and fill it with pie weights, uncooked rice or beans and bake in a preheated 400 degree oven for 8 to 9 minutes. Remove the foil and bake the shell for 2 to 3 minutes more. Remove it from the oven when the shell is just starting to color and just beginning to shrink from the sides of the mold.
 
If it seems to you that the sides of the shell are too fragile, or liable to crack or leak with the weight of the pie filling to come, do not unmold until your tart or quiche is filled and fully baked. To unmold it, slip it onto a rack so air will circulate and cool it, preventing it from getting soggy.
 
Makes one tart dough.
 
From Smitten Kitchen blog, adapted from Martha Stewart and Julia Child

Quick Puff Pastry (Rough Puff)

1 cup (125 grams) all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon fine salt

10 tablespoons (140 grams) high-quality butter, cold

1/3 cup ice cold water

In a medium bowl, add the flour and salt.  Stir to mix.

Next, cube the butter and then add it to the bowl.  Using a pastry blender or two knives, cut the butter into the dough.  It will be very crumbly, and you're done when the butter is in uniform pieces all about the size of peas.

Next, make a well in the center of the dough and pour in all of the water.  Using a fork or wooden spoon, stir to combine the dough.

Lightly flour your work surface, and add the dough.  Pat it into a rough square.  You will still see chunks of butter and it will seem too dry, but do not add extra water.  The dough will come together with each roll.

Flour the rolling pin, and roll the dough out in front of you into a rectangle about 10"long.  No need to be too precise here.  Fold the bottom third of the dough over the middle of the dough.  Fold the upper third of the dough on top of the middle.  Rotate the dough one-quarter turn, and repeat.  Use additional flour as needed to prevent the dough from sticking.

Roll out, fold, and turn the dough at least 4 times and as much as 6 or 7 times.

When done, wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill for at least one hour, or overnight (or dough may be frozen for later use).  Depending on how cold your refrigerator is, the dough may be ready to roll out straight from the fridge.  If it seems too hard, let it rest at room temperature for 30 minutes before using.

Makes 11 ounces/325 grams puff pastry, enough for one 10- to 12-inch tart.

From Dessert for Two blog and Chocolate and Zucchini blog

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.

Flaky Pastry Dough

2 cups (9 ounces) all-purpose flour 
2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, chilled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 to 8 tablespoons ice water

Place the flour, butter, and salt in a food processor fitted with the steel blade.  Pulse about 24 times, then open the machine and lift a handful of the crumbs.  The largest pieces of butter should be the size of raw grains of rice or barley.  If there are larger pieces, continue to pulse the mixture; however, do not process it too much, to the consistency of cornmeal.  

When the butter pieces are the correct size, transfer the mixture to a large mixing bowl.  Sprinkle 6 tablespoons of ice water onto the dough.  Stir with fingers quickly and briefly, until the liquid is incorporated.  Squeeze a handful of the dough in your palm; the dough should have just enough moisture to stay together.  If needed, add water a few more teaspoonfuls at a time, until you can squeeze it into a ball that will not crumble when broken apart.  

If your kitchen is cool and ingredients were cold, the dough should be able to be rolled out now.  If too warm, wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate it for about 15 minutes.

To make tart shells, follow instructions for Free-Form Tart Shells.

Makes enough dough for 4 7-inch or 2 10-inch tart shells.

From The Herbfarm Cookbook by Jerry Traunfeld

Note:  To make the amount of dough for a double-crust 9-inch pie, make the dough using 1 1/2 cups (6 3/4 ounces) flour, 1 1/2 sticks (6 ounces) unsalted butter, 3/8 teaspoon salt, and 5 to 6 tablespoons ice water.

Yeasted Butter Pastry Dough

1/2 cup lukewarm water
1 package (2 1/4 teaspoons) active dry or instant yeast
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
5 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
1 large egg yolk

Measure the water in a 1-cup glass measure.  Sprinkle the yeast over the water, mixing briefly with a fork.  Set aside for 5 minutes to dissolve.

Meanwhile, place the flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor and pulse several times to mix.  Scatter the butter over the dry mixture and pulse 7 or 8 times, until the butter is broken into very small pieces.

Add the egg yolk to the yeast mixture and blend with a fork.  Add the liquid to the food processor and pulse repeatedly, until the dough coheres, then run the machine non-stop for 8 to 10 seconds to knead the dough.

Place the dough in an oiled medium-size bowl, rotating the dough to coat the entire surface.  Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set aside to rise in a warmish spot for 1 hour.  If for some reason you need to delay the rising, simply put the dough in the refrigerator.

(To make a dessert fruit pizza pie: After an hour of rising, punch the dough down gently once or twice, not vigorously.  Place the dough on a floured work surface and dust it lightly with flour.  Gently roll the pastry into a 13- or 14-inch circle, keeping it of even thickness as best you can.  Transfer the pastry to the prepared baking sheet, pinching the edge of the dough into an upstanding ridge.  Refrigerate for 15 minutes.  Heat the oven to 425 F.  Top with fruit as desired.  Bake for 15 minutes.  Reduce oven temperature to 375 F and rotate baking sheet 180 degrees.  Continue to bake until the crust is golden brown and juices bubble thickly on top, 10 to 12 minutes.  Slide the pizza onto a wire rack.  Let cool for 10 to 15 minutes.  Slice and serve within a few hours.)

Makes enough pastry for 1 large pie.

From Pie by Ken Haedrich

Sour Cream Dough / Pie Crust / Turnover Shells

1 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt (or 1/4 teaspoon salt if using salted butter)
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick or 1/4 cup) butter
1/3 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon milk, plus more as needed

Heat the oven to 425° F if baking the pie shell or turnovers.

Place the flour, salt, and butter in a bowl or in the bowl of a food processor - cut the butter into the flour, by hand or machine, until the mixture resembles coarse bread crumbs.  The pieces will be a bit irregular and will vary in size.  Add the sour cream and mix with a fork, or process again quickly in the machine.  Sprinkle 1 tablespoon milk over the dough and again stir lightly with a fork, or process.  Gather the dough together in your hand - it will be very smooth.  If it holds together without crumbling, it is ready to be rolled out.  If the dough does not hold together when pressed, add a few drops of milk and stir to distribute.  The dough should be quite soft but not sticky.  

For pie crust:
Form the dough into a cake about 1 inch thick.  Dust your rolling surface very generously with flour.  Roll the dough into a thin circle, about 1/8-1/16 inch thick, that is at least 2 inches larger in diameter than the inverted pie pan.  Transfer the dough to the pie pan, trim and flute the edges, and the pie shell is ready to be filled for baking or to be partially baked or fully baked.  

To bake the pie crust - prick all over with a fork at 1/2-inch intervals.  Press a 12-inch square of heavy duty foil snugly into the pie crust and bake for 6 minutes.  Remove the foil and continue baking for 4 more minutes for a partially baked pie shell, or 8 to 10 minutes for a fully baked shell.  Check the pie crust once or twice during baking and, if it puffs or swells out of shape, poke it gently with the tines of a fork.

For turnover shells:
Roll dough to 1/8 inch thick.  With a round cutter about 4 1/2 inches in diameter, cut out as many pieces as you can.  Gather up the scraps, press them together, and re-roll to cut the remaining rounds.  

To bake the turnovers - place about 2 tablespoons filling on each round.  With your fingertips, moisten the edges of the dough with water and fold each round over to form a half-moon shape.  Press the edges gently together with your fingers, then press them together with the tines of a fork.  Brush the turnovers with cream, and sprinkle with sugar if filling is sweet.  Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper (or a baking sheet that has been lightly greased and floured), leaving at least 1 inch between.  Bake for about 20 minutes, or until lightly browned.  

Makes enough for one 9-inch pie shell, or about 8+ 4-inch turnovers

From The Fannie Farmer Baking Book by Marion Cunningham

Flaky Butter Crust

Full recipe (with half-recipe measurements in italics):
2 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour  (1 1/4 cups)
1/2 teaspoon salt (1/4 teaspoon)
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) cold butter, cut into 1/4-inch pieces (6 tablespoons)
1/4 cup vegetable shortening  (2 tablespoons)
1 tablespoon sugar  (1 1/2 teaspoons)
1 egg, cold  (1 egg)
2 tablespoons ice water  (2 teaspoons)
1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar  (1 teaspoon)

Combine the flour and salt in a large bowl and toss to mix.  Cut the butter and vegetable shortening into the flour until the butter is evenly distributed with pieces of fat no larger than split peas.  Add the sugar and toss with your fingers to incorporate.

Beat the egg, water, and lemon juice with a fork in a separate bowl.  Drizzle half of this liquid over the flour, tossing the mixture with a fork.  Add the rest of the liquid, tossing and blending as you pour.  Work the mixture briefly with your fork, then try to pack the dough together, like a snowball.  If dry spots remain, use wet fingertips to pull them into the ball of dough.

Divide the dough in half (if using for a top and bottom crust, make one half slightly larger than the other), and flatten each half into a disk about 1/2-inch thick.  Wrap each half in plastic and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

To roll the dough, place a 12-inch square of wax paper or plastic wrap on a work surface.  Place half of the dough on it and roll the disk into a 12-inch circle.  Dust the dough's surface with a little flour, if needed, to prevent the dough from sticking.

Flip the wax paper over, inverting the rolled dough over the pie plate, then peel off the paper.  Tuck the dough into the pan without stretching it.

If making a pie shell:
Trim the overhang to an even 1/2-inch, then tuck the overhang under, sculpting the edge into an upstanding ridge.  Form a decorative edge, if desired, cover with plastic, and freeze.

If making a double-crusted pie:
Roll out half as for a pie shell but do not trim.  Cover with plastic, and refrigerate while you roll the top crust.  Fill the pie, run a moistened fingertip around the rim of the bottom crust and lay the top sheet of dough over the filling.  Press down slightly where you've moistened the edge, to seal.  Trim the overhang to an even 1/2-inch, then tuck it under, sculpting the edge into an upstanding ridge.  Form a decorative edge, if desired, and poke three or four steam vents in the top crust with the tines of a fork.  Bake as directed.

To partially prepare a pie shell:
Heat the oven to 425°F.  Line the frozen shell with a 12-inch square of foil, tucking it into the contours of the pan.  Spread about 2 cups of dried rice or beans in the bottom and slightly up the sides of the foil.  Bake the crust in the lower part of the oven for 15 minutes, then carefully lift out the foil and the beans.  Prick the bottom several times with a fork, so steam can escape.  Reduce oven temperature to 375°F and bake for another 10 minutes.  Cool on a wire rack.

To fully pre-bake a pie shell:
Proceed as above, but bake the crust for about 20 minutes after lowering the heat, until evenly browned.

Makes enough dough for one double-crusted 9-inch pie or 2 9-inch pie shells.

From Maple Syrup Cookbook by Ken Haedrich

Sour Cream Pastry Dough

1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup cold butter
1/2 cup sour cream

Whisk together flour, salt, and baking powder.  Cut the cold butter into pats and work into the flour mixture until it is unevenly crumbly, with larger bits of butter remaining intact.  Stir in the sour cream.  The dough will be craggy but cohesive.

Turn the dough out onto a well-floured surface, and bring it together if necessary with a few quick kneads.  Pat the dough into a rough square, then roll into an 8x10-inch rectangle.  Dust both sides of the dough with flour.  Starting with one of the shorter ends, fold it in thirds like a business letter, flip it over so the open flap is on the bottom, and turn it 90 degrees.  Roll the dough into an 8x10-inch rectangle again.  Fold it in thirds, wrap it in plastic, and place in the refrigerator the chill for at least 30 minutes (or overnight) before using.

(If making turnovers, roll out dough, cut into 4 1/2 inch rounds, fill with about 4 teaspoons of filling placed slightly off center in each round, and fold in half and pinch the edges together, pressing with fingers or a fork to seal.  If desired, for a tighter seal, brush half of each round with an egg wash  before folding.  Bake at 400° F for about 20 minutes.  Makes about 13 to 14 turnovers.)


From King Arthur Flour

Shortcrust Pastry Dough

3 cups all-purpose flour

Pinch of sea salt

3/4 cup cold, unsalted butter, cut into pieces

Cold water

Sift the flour into a large bowl with the salt.  Add the butter pieces and, working as quickly as you can, rub the butter into the flour using the tips of your fingers.  Add 2 to 2 1/2 tablespoons of very cold water, or more as necessary, a tablespoon at a time.  (The more water is added, the more the dough will shrink - alternatively, some cream or egg yolk can be used in place of some water.)  The moment the dough has cohered into a ball, wrap it in plastic wrap and put it in the fridge for a half hour.

(If baking blind, heat oven to 375° F.  Roll out the dough and line greased pie pan with it.  Cover the dough with a piece of waxed paper, and cover the paper with a layer of dried beans or ceramic pie weights.  Bake until nearly done, then remove the paper and beans and prick the bottom of the pie shell with a fork.  Return the pan to the oven for 5 to 10 minutes more.)


From Tarts with Tops On, or How to Make the Perfect Pie by Tamasin Day-Lewis

Pastry Dough

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter

1/4 teaspoon salt

3 to 5 tablespoons ice water

Blend together flour, butter, and salt in a bowl with your fingertips or a pastry blender (or pulse in a food processor) just until mixture resembles coarse meal with some small (roughly pea-size) butter lumps. Drizzle 3 tablespoons ice water evenly over mixture and gently stir with a fork (or pulse) until incorporated.

Squeeze a small handful of dough: If it doesn't hold together, add more ice water, 1/2 tablespoon at a time, stirring (or pulsing) until incorporated. Do not overwork dough, or pastry will be tough.

Turn out dough onto a work surface. Divide dough into 4 portions. With heel of your hand, smear each portion once or twice in a forward motion to help distribute fat. Gather all dough together with pastry scraper. Press into a ball, then flatten into a 5-inch disk.

Wrap dough in plastic wrap and chill until firm, at least 1 hour.

(If you are making two desserts that call for this pastry dough, you can make a double batch.  Pastry dough can be chilled up to 2 days, or frozen, wrapped well, up to 3 months.)

Makes enough for 1 9-inch single-crust pie or 1 9-to11-inch tart shell.

From Epicurious/ Gourmet

Leek, Potato, and Oatmeal Tart

Crust
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
Salt
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled
2 or more tablespoons very cold water

Filling
2 tablespoons butter
4 leeks, white and pale green parts only, sliced 1/8-inch thick
Salt and pepper
1 egg and 1 egg yolk
2/3 cup light cream
Nutmeg
3/4 cup Cheddar, grated
3-4 medium potatoes, peeled and boiled until just tender, then finely sliced

Put the flour, oats, and salt in the bowl of a food processor.  Cut the cold butter into small pieces on top of it.  Process for about 20 to 30 seconds, then add cold water through the top, a tablespoon at a time, with the machine running.  If the dough is still in crumbly little bits after a minute, add a tablespoon more of water, but remember that the more water used, the more the crust will shrink.  The moment it has cohered into a ball, remove it, wrap it in plastic wrap, and refrigerate it for 30 minutes.  Roll out, line a 9-inch tart pan, and return the pan to the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. 

Heat the oven to 375°F, with a baking sheet in the oven if using a non-metal pie dish.  Place a piece of parchment or waxed paper over the tart shell, and cover the paper with a layer of dried beans or ceramic pie weights.  Bake the tart shell for 10 minutes, then remove the paper and weights and prick the bottom of the shell with a fork.  Return the shell to the oven for 5 minutes.

Heat the butter in a skillet and saute the leeks gently until softened, then season them with salt and pepper.  Whip together the egg, yolk, and cream, seasoning with salt and pepper and adding a hint of nutmeg.

Spread the leeks over the tart shell bottom, add a layer of potatoes, more salt and pepper, half the cheese, then add a second layer of potato.  Pour the cream and egg mixture over the potato, and scatter the rest of the cheese over the top.  Return to the oven for about 25 minutes, until the top is browned.  Let cool briefly before serving.

Serves 6.


From The Art of the Tart by Tamasin Day-Lewis

Puff Pastry Dough

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Pinch of salt

3/4 cup unsalted butter

About 2/3 cup cold water

Sift the flour and salt into a mixing bowl.  Rub in 2 tablespoons of the butter, working as briskly as you can and using the tips of your fingers only, or process in a food processor.  Mix in the water and then gently knead the dough on a floured surface.  Wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.  Keep the remaining butter out so that it softens.

Flatten the softened butter into a rectangle 1 inch thick.  On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough into a rectangle three times the length and 1 inch wider than the rectangle of butter.  Place the butter in the center of the pastry and then fold over the top and bottom of the dough to cover the butter.

With the rolling pin, press down on the edges to seal in the butter, then give the dough a quarter turn clockwise.  Now roll the dough out so that it returns to its original length.  Fold over the ends again, press them together with the rolling pin, and give a further quarter-turn clockwise.  Repeat the process once more, and then rest the dough in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, remembering which way it is facing.

Repeat the rolling and turning process twice more, then refrigerate for a final 30 minutes before using or freezing.  If the dough gets warm and buttery at any stage during the process, put it in the refrigerator to chill.

From Tarts with Tops On, or How to Make the Perfect Pie by Tamasin Day-Lewis