Pate Brisee For Roasted Pepper Saffron Tart Recipes

PATE BRISEE FOR ROASTED-PEPPER SAFFRON TART

Steps:

• In a food processor, pulse flour, salt, and sugar to combine. Add the butter, and process until the mixture resembles coarse meal, about 10 seconds.
• With the machine running, add ice water through the feed tube in a slow, steady stream, until dough just holds together, about 30 seconds.
• Turn out dough onto a lightly floured work surface. Divide in half; place each on plastic wrap. Flatten into disks; wrap well. Chill at least 1 hour or overnight.

BASIC FRENCH TART DOUGH/PATE BRISEE (DORIE GREENSPAN)

Steps:

• FOOD PROCESSOR METHOD: Put the flour, sugar, and salt in the processor and whir a few times, until the butter is coarsely mixed into the flour. Beat the egg with the ice water and pour it into the bowl in 3 small additions, whirring after each one (Don't overdo it - the dough shouldn't form a ball or ride on the blade) You'll have a moist, malleable dough that will hold together when pinched. Turn the dough out onto a work surface, gather it into a ball (if the dough doesn't come together easily, push it, a few spoonfuls at a time, under the heel of your hand or knead it lightly), and flatten it into a disk.
• HAND METHOD: Put the flour, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Drop in the bits of butter and, using your hands or a pastry blender, work the butter into the flour until it is evenly distributed. You'll have large and small butter bits, and that's fine - uniformity isn't a virtue here. Beat the egg and water together, drizzle over the dough, and, using your fingertips, mix and knead the dough until it comes together. Turn it out onto a work surface, gather it into a ball (if the dough doesn't come together easily, push it, a few spoonfuls at a time, under the heel of your hand or knead it some more), and flatten it into a disk.
• Chill at least 3 hours or up to 5 days.
• When you're ready to bake the tart shell, butter a 9 - 91/2inch fluted tart pan with a removable bottom (butter it even if it's nonstick).
• To roll out the dough: Roll out the dough between sheets of wax paper or plastic wrap or in a lightly floured rolling cover; or you can roll it out on a lightly floured work surface. If you're working between sheets of paper or plastic wrap, lift it often so that it doesn't roll into the dough, and turn the dough over frequently. If you're just rolling on the counter, make sure to lift and turn the dough and reflour the counter often. The rolled-out dough should be about 1/4 inch thick and at least 12 inches in diameter.
• Transfer the dough to the tart pan, easing it into the pan without stretching it. (What you stretch now will shrink in the oven later.) If you'd like to reinforce the sides of the crust, you can fold some of the excess dough over, so that you have a double thickness around the sides. Using the back of a table knife, trim the dough even with the top of the pan. Prick the base of the crust in several places with a fork.
• Chill - freeze - the dough for at least 1 hour before baking.
• Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 400°F Press a piece of buttered foil (or use nonstick foil) against the crust's surface. If you'd like, you can fill the covered crust with rice or dried beans (which will be inedible after this but can be used for baking for months to come) to keep the dough flat, but this isn't really necessary if the crust is well chilled. Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper and put the tart pan on the sheet.
• TO PARTIALLY BAKE THE CRUST: Bake for 20 minutes, then very carefully remove the foil (with the rice or beans). Return the crust to the oven and bake for another 3 - 5 minutes, or until it is lightly golden. Transfer the baking sheet to a cooling rack and allow the crust to cool before you fill it.
• TO FULLY BAKE THE CRUST: Bake for an additional 10 minutes, or until it is an even golden brown. Transfer the baking sheet to a cooling rack and allow the crust to cool before you fill it.

ROASTED-PEPPER SAFFRON TART

Steps:

• To roast bell peppers, place them directly on a gas burner over high heat. Roast until charred, turning as each side blackens. (Alternatively, roast peppers on a baking sheet under the broiler, turning as each side chars.)
• Transfer peppers to a large bowl, and cover with plastic wrap. Let stand until cool enough to handle, about 15 minutes. Using paper towels, peel off blackened skins. Lay peppers flat on a clean work surface. Using a sharp paring knife, remove stems, seeds, and ribs. Finely chop peppers, and set aside.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out pate brisee to a 1/8-inch-thick round about 12 inches in diameter. Brush off excess flour, and wrap dough around rolling pin. Lift it over a 9-inch round fluted tart pan, and place dough in pan. Gently press into sides and bottom. Trim dough flush with edge. Using a fork, lightly prick all over bottom of dough. Freeze 20 minutes.
• Remove tart shell from freezer. Line with parchment paper, and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake until edge begins to brown, about 20 minutes. Remove parchment and weights, and continue baking until bottom of crust is golden, about 7 minutes more. Transfer to a wire rack, and let cool completely.
• Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees. In a small saucepan, heat the cream over medium-low heat until just warm, and remove from heat. Add the saffron, and let steep, covered, 15 minutes.
• In a medium skillet over medium heat, melt the butter. Add shallot, and cook, stirring, until fragrant and soft, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the vinegar and reserved peppers. Season with salt and pepper, and set aside.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the saffron cream, egg, and egg yolks, and season with salt.
• To assemble tart, spread red-pepper mixture evenly over bottom of tart shell. Carefully pour cream mixture over red-pepper mixture. Bake until custard is set, 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer tart to a wire rack; let cool slightly before serving.