Tart Pastry Recipes

PASTRY FOR PIES AND TARTS

Steps:

• One-Crust Pastry: In medium bowl, mix flour and salt. Cut in shortening, using pastry blender or fork, until mixture forms coarse crumbs the size of small peas. Sprinkle with water, 1 tablespoon at a time, tossing with fork until all flour is moistened and pastry almost leaves side of bowl (1 to 2 teaspoons more water can be added if necessary). Gather pastry into a ball. Shape into flattened round on lightly floured surface. Wrap flattened round in plastic wrap and refrigerate 45 minutes or until dough is firm and cold, yet pliable. This allows the shortening to become slightly firm, which helps make the baked pastry flaky. If refrigerated longer, let pastry soften slightly at room temperature before rolling. Using floured rolling pin, roll pastry on lightly floured surface (or pastry board with floured pastry cloth) into round 2 inches larger than upside-down 9-inch glass pie plate or 3 inches larger than 10- or 11-inch tart pan. Fold pastry into fourths and place in pie plate or tart pan, or roll pastry loosely around rolling pin and transfer to pie plate or tart pan. Unfold or unroll pastry and ease into plate or pan, pressing firmly against bottom and side and being careful not to stretch pastry, which will cause it to shrink when baked. For pie, trim overhanging edge of pastry 1 inch from rim of pie plate. Fold edge under to form standing rim; flute edges (see Decorative Crust Ideas, page 00). For tart, trim overhanging edge of pastry even with top of tart pan. Fill and bake as directed in pie or tart recipe.
• Two-Crust Pastry: In medium bowl, mix flour and salt. Cut in shortening, using pastry blender or fork, until mixture forms coarse crumbs the size of small peas. Sprinkle with water, 1 tablespoon at a time, tossing with fork until all flour is moistened and pastry almost leaves side of bowl (1 to 2 teaspoons more water can be added if necessary). Gather pastry into a ball. Divide pastry in half and shape into 2 rounds on lightly floured surface. Wrap flattened rounds in plastic wrap and refrigerate 45 minutes or until dough is firm and cold, yet pliable. This allows the shortening to become slightly firm, which helps make the baked pastry flaky. If refrigerated longer, let pastry soften slightly at room temperature before rolling. Using floured rolling pin, roll one round of pastry on lightly floured surface (or pastry board with floured pastry cloth) into round 2 inches larger than upside-down 9-inch glass pie plate. Fold pastry into fourths and place in pie plate, or roll pastry loosely around rolling pin and transfer to pie plate. Unfold or unroll pastry and ease into plate, pressing firmly against bottom and side and being careful not to stretch pastry, which will cause it to shrink when baked. Spoon desired filling into bottom crust. Trim overhanging edge of bottom crust 1/2 inch from rim of plate. Roll out second pastry round. Fold into fourths and place over filling, or roll loosely around rolling pin and place over filling. Unfold or unroll pastry over filling. Cut slits in pastry so steam can escape. Trim overhanging edge of top pastry 1 inch from rim of plate. Fold edge of top crust under bottom crust, forming a stand-up rim of pastry that is even thickness on edge of pie plate, pressing on rim to seal; flute edges (see Decorative Crust Ideas, page 00). Bake as directed in pie recipe.

SWEET TART PASTRY

Steps:

• Sift together the flour, sugar, and salt into a bowl.
• Toss butter through flour mixture to coat pieces. Using fingertips, rub fat into flour, working it until you have created a coarse meal with a few pea-size particles of fat.
• Empty crumbs onto a cool surface. Form mixture into a mound. Make a 4 to 5 inch well in center of the mound. Combine egg and vanilla and pour mixture into the well. Using a fork, draw crumbs into egg mixture, about 1 - 2 tablespoons at a time. When all crumbs are added, toss mixture a few times with a pastry blender to form large clumps, then scrape into a mound.
• Using the heel of your hand, push 2 - 3 tablespoons of the dough at a time, outward in 6 to 8 inch sweeps. This will blend fat and flour and give crust a delicate texture. If your hand becomes sticky, flour it as needed. Repeat process until all dough has been worked. Gather dough into a mound again. Repeat procedure 2 more times.
• After third time, flour your hands. Gently knead the dough 5 or 6 times to make it smooth. Shape into a 5 inch disk. Dust disk lightly with flour, score with side of your hand, cover with plastic wrap, refrigerate for 20 minutes before shaping. DO NOT LET DOUGH BECOME TOO HARD or it will be difficult to roll. If this happens, let pastry soften at room temperature.
• Roll out to 1/8 inch thickness. After dough has been rolled, position rolling pin 4 inches from top of the pastry. Lift dough over top of rolling pin and gently roll dough toward you. Lift pastry up. Make sure you keep a finger pressed against barrel of rolling pin to keep it from slipping. Position pastry, leaving about 1 1/2 inches of dough hanging over edge of pan on side closest to you. Then unroll pastry over an ungreased tart pan, moving pin away from you. Immediately lift overhang into pan to prevent sharp edge of the pan from cutting dough.
• Working a small portion of the dough at a time, mold it into crease of the pan. Trim excess pastry from top edge of pan. Chill pastry in refrigerator or freezer for up to 30 minutes. Tear an 18 inch square of tin foil. Make a buttered circle in center of foil 2 inches larger than size of pan. Place foil buttered side down, centering it into the baking pan. Using your hand, press foil flush against the sides.
• Heat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Position shelf in lower third of oven. Fill pan with enough dried beans or baking nuggets to just cover surface of pan. DO NOT OVERFILL. Bake pastry shell on a shallow pan with sides. Bake crust 15 to 18 minutes or until sides begin to brown. Remove pan from the oven. Let stand about 30 seconds. Gently remove foil and beans. Reduce oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Continue to bake crust for 3 to 5 minutes or until it is golden. If bottom of pastry shell puffs up, tap it gently with bottom of a fork to expel the air. Do this carefully so the pastry crust doesn't break. When crust is done, cool completely before filling.

TART PASTRY

Steps:

• Blend together flour, sugar, salt, butter and shortening with your fingers or a pastry blender (or pulse on a processor) just until the mixture resembles coarse meal, the mixture should be pea-size.
• Drizzle the ice water starting with 3 tablespoons over the flour mixture; gently stir with a fork (or pulse with a processor) until incorporated.
• Squeeze a small amount in your hands, if it does not hold together add in more ice water 1 tablespoon at a time, stirring or pulsing with a processor until JUST combined.
• Test again, but be careful not to overwork the mixture, as the pastry will be tough.
• Transfer the mixture onto a lightly floured surface and divide into 6 portions.
• Using the heel of your hand, smear each portion once or twice in a forward motion.
• Gather dough together with a scraper and press into 1 ball.
• Flatten into a 6-inch disc.
• Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for about 1 hour.
• Roll out dough with a floured rolling pin into a 13-inch round on a lightly floured surface.
• Fit into the 11-inch tart pan.
• trim any excess dough leaving a 1/2-inch overhang.
• Fold the overhang inward and press against the side of the pan to reinforce edge.
• Lightly prick the bottom and sides of the pastry with a fork.
• Chill for 30 minutes.
• Set oven to 375 degrees.
• Line the shell with foil and fill with pie weights or raw rice.
• Bake in the center of the oven until the pastry is golden along the rim (about 20 minutes).
• Remove the shell from the oven, and carefully remove the foil and pie weights, return back to oven and bake for another 10 minutes or until golden all over.

TART PASTRY

Steps:

• Dump everything into a bowl, roll up your sleeves and get your hands right into it.
• Work the dough well and knead for a couple of minutes.
• Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes (or more) before proceeding with recipe.
• I have made up this dough up to a week (or even longer) ahead of time, and kept in a compartment in the refrigerator, wrapped airtight in plastic wrap. It is a wonderful thing to have on hand during the holidays to whip up a batch of tarts or tassies, fresh.

TART PASTRY

Steps:

• Place the flour and salt in the container of a food processor. Cut the butter into small pieces and add it. Add the yolks. Blend briefly and add the water gradually. Add only enough water so that the mixture pulls away from the sides of the container.
• If a food processor is not used, place the flour and salt in a mixing bowl. Cut the butter into small pieces and add it. Using a pastry blender or the fingers, work in the butter until the mixture has the texture of coarse cornmeal. Work in the yolks. Add only enough water so that the dough can be gathered together and shaped into a ball.
• Gather the dough into a ball, wrap in wax paper and chill. The dough may also be frozen for later use. Roll the dough out on a lightly floured board and use to line a 10-inch tart tin.

BASIC PASTRY DOUGH

Steps:

• In a food processor, pulse flour and salt to combine. Add cold butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal, with a few pea-size pieces of butter remaining. Sprinkle with ice water. Pulse until dough is crumbly but holds together when squeezed (if necessary, add up to 3 tablespoons more water, 1 tablespoon at a time). Do not overmix. Form dough into a 1-inch-thick disk, wrap tightly in plastic, and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour (or up to 3 days).

TART PASTRY

Steps:

• Combine the flour, sugar and salt. Cut the butter into eight pieces. Cut it into the flour or work it with your hands until the mixture is the texture of corn meal and begins to hold together when pressed (you may do this in a food processor).
• Combine the lemon juice or the lemon peel and water with the vanilla. Work it into the flour mixture and add a little more liquid, if necessary, to make the dough hold together. Press the dough into a ball, wrap with plastic. Chill for 30 minutes.
• Press an even layer into an 11-inch fluted tart pan with a removable rim. Make sure you press the dough down evenly otherwise some parts will cook more quickly than others. Cover with plastic and place in freezer for 30 minutes or overnight.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• Bake the tart shell for 20 to 25 minutes until golden brown. You do not need to fill the shell with beans for baking.