Pastry Dough Recipes

Steps:

• Add the flour and salt to a large bowl and stir to combine. Add the butter and toss to combine. With your fingers, begin to "smush" the butter into flat pieces. Continue smushing until all the butter is flattened but none of the pieces are larger than a quarter. The flour will look like coarse cornmeal.
• Add the water, quickly folding it in with a wooden spoon to distribute the moisture. (Do not stir vigorously--the dough should appear shaggy.) Use your hands to break up any large clumps of moisture. Then use your knuckles or a palm to smear the dough up the sides of the bowl (a technique known as fraisage). This distributes the butter over a larger surface to achieve larger flakes and compact the dough. Once you've gone around the bowl one time, fold the dough over itself a few times to pick up any dry bits from the bottom. Gently press the dough into a disk. (Note: The dough should remain very cool to the touch throughout the process. If it approaches room temperature, refrigerate it for 5 to 10 minutes to chill.)
• Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and roll out to a 10-by-12-inch rectangle. Perform a letter fold by folding one of the short ends towards the middle and the other short end over the first, like folding a business letter.
• Turn the dough 90 degrees, so the long side faces you, and perform a second letter fold. Turn the dough 90 degrees again; perform a third letter fold.
• If the dough still feels cool, it can be used immediately. Otherwise, wrap it in plastic wrap and chill for at least 20 minutes. The dough can be refrigerated for up to 1 week or frozen for up to 1 month.

Steps:

• Place blade insert into bowl of food processor. Add 1 cup flour. Sprinkle frozen butter cubes over flour. Add remaining 1 cup flour, sugar, and salt. Cover. Pulse in short bursts on and off until butter is broken into small pieces and looks crumbly, about 1 minute. Drizzle in ice water. Pulse with longer pulses, on and off, until mixture turns pale yellow and looks like crumbs, about 10 to 12 seconds. Scrape down sides with spatula. Pulse once or twice more.
• Transfer mixture onto a work surface. Bring pieces together to form a tight round ball of dough. Flatten slightly and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least 1 hour or overnight before rolling out.

Steps:

• Blend together flour, butter, sugar, 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.
• 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're 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.

Steps:

• 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 roughly pea-size butter lumps.
• Drizzle 3 tablespoons ice water evenly over mixture and gently stir with a fork (or pulse in processor) until incorporated.
• Squeeze a small handful: If it doesn't hold together, add more ice water, 1/2 tablespoon at a time, stirring (or pulsing) until incorporated, then test again. Do not overwork dough or pastry will be tough.
• Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface and divide into 4 portions. With heel of your hand, smear each portion once or twice in a forward motion to help distribute fat. Gather dough together, with a pastry scraper if you have one, and press into a 5-inch disk. Chill, wrapped in plastic wrap, until firm, at least 1 hour.

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).

Steps:

• Combine the flour and salt in the bowl of a food processor and process few seconds to combine. Cut 2 ounces (4 tablespoons) of the butter into small pieces and process with the flour until there are no lumps and the mixture is the texture of cornmeal.
• Pour half the ice water in a large bowl and turn the flour mixture onto it. Sprinkle the remaining water over it, reserving one tablespoon. Transfer the mixture to a large mixing bowl, drizzle the ice water evenly over it and toss like a salad until the dough comes together in a ragged mass. Add the remaining water if necessary. Cover in plastic wrap and chill.
• Meanwhile, place the remaining butter between layers of plastic wrap and pound with a rolling pin to make malleable. Place it between two sheets of plastic wrap and, using your hands or a rolling pin, shape it into a 6-inch square.
• Remove the dough from the fridge, lightly flour the work surface and, using either your hands or a rolling pin, shape the mass into 12-inch square. Place the butter on the dough catty-corner and fold the edges of the dough into the center to enclose it.
• Lightly flour the surface of the dough and roll it into a rectangle measuring about 12 inches high x 26 inches wide. If the dough sticks, loosen it underneath with a long flexible metal palette knife and scrape off any butter sticking to the work surface. Brush off any excess flour. Fold the dough into thirds and turn it 90 degrees, so that seams are parallel to the table's edge. This is called a "turn". Lightly flour and roll it out again to about 12 x 26 inches. Brush off the excess flour and again fold it into thirds. Place the dough on a sheet tray, cover it with a plastic bag and refrigerate for 20 to 30 minutes.
• Repeat this, giving the dough two more turns, each time rolling it out to 12 x 26 inches. Refrigerate for another 20 or 30 minutes, then give the dough 2 final turns. There are six turns in all.
• Lightly roll it to flatten and even it. Wrap it in plastic wrap or a bag and chill for at least two hours before using it. It can be kept, refrigerated, for up to 3 days, or frozen for up to 3 months.
• To roll pastry: (for home size 11 x 17-inch sheet trays)
• For thinly rolled dough (1/16-inch) used to make little pizzas start with 15 ounces (1/3 of the recipe). For thickly rolled dough (3/8-inch) used for everything else, start with 22 ounces (1/2 recipe).
• Line an 11 x 17-inch sheet tray with parchment paper. On a floured table, roll the rectangle of dough to a length of 15 inches and a width of 10 inches. Dust off any excess flour. Roll the dough up onto the rolling pin and transfer it to the sheet tray. Using a 10-inch rolling pin and rolling gently from the center out, roll the dough to fit the tray. Make sure it is even - with no lumpy edges. Rolling lightly and gently enables you to keep it even.
• Shapes to cut out of the 3/8-inch thick dough:
• Bouchee: Cut 2 (3-1/2-inch) rounds of dough. Cut a 2-1/4-inch circle out of the second round. Egg wash the first round. Place the ring from the second round over the first so that the edges line up. Dock the edges and center with a fork. Thin inner circle can be baked as well and used for a lid.
• Bouchee made from special cutter: Use and cutter made especially for this purpose. It has two cutting edges - one inside and shorter than the other that scores, rather than cuts the dough.
• Criss-cross Tartlet: Cut a 5-inch square. Fold it into a triangle and cut from each edge towards the apex, stopping about 1/2-inch short of the apex. The cut should be about 1/2-inch from the edge. Open it up to the square and place on a cookie sheet. Egg wash the edges. Bring one point over to the opposite corner of the inner square and press. Bring the opposite point over and press. Press along the rim to seal. Dock rim and center.
• Puff Strip: From a sheet tray of frozen dough, cut a rectangular piece 8" wide and the length of the sheet tray. Transfer it to a paper lined cookie sheet. Using a pizza wheel, cut a 3/4" strip from each edge. Egg wash the edges of the center piece and flip the cut strips onto the egg washed edge. Dock the 2 rims with a fork, then dock down the center.
• Vol-au-Vent: Similar to above, but round. Press whatever size round you want into the dough on the sheet tray. Lift and cut along the circular impression with a pizza wheel. Center another round, and inch or so smaller in diameter than the first over the circle of dough and press lightly. Remove and cut along this line. Egg was the edge, as above, and cut through the outer rim in one place. Place the rim over the center circle, lining up the edges. Dock the rim with a fork, then dock the center. Bake 20 to 25 minutes in a preheated 425 degree F. oven.

Steps:

• Mix dry ingredients with butter.
• Slowly add liquid.
• Knead to a smooth ball and let stand 20 minutes.
• Roll out thinly on lightly floured board.
• Cut into rounds using biscuit cutter or glass.
• Place 1 generous tsp of Pastechi filling (recipe posted separately) onto rounds.
• Fold rounds in half; seal and crimp edges.
• Fry in oil until golden brown.
• Drain on paper towels.
• Serve warm and with ketchup, if desired.
• ***recipemay be halved.

Steps:

• Whisk sugar, salt, and 1 1/3 cups flour in a medium bowl. Cut butter into 6 rectangular pieces (if using 1/2-cup sticks, cut them in half crosswise, then in half again lengthwise). Toss butter in dry ingredients to coat, then dump mixture out onto a work surface. Roll butter into flour until it is in long flexible strips, using a bench scraper to scrape butter off rolling pin or surface as needed.
• Use bench scraper to gather mixture into a loose pile, then drizzle 4 Tbsp. ice water over. Using your hands and the bench scraper, toss mixture until water is distributed, then gather into a rectangular pile. Roll out dough to a long rectangle with short ends about 8" wide, then use bench scraper to fold dough into thirds, like folding a letter. It will be very crumbly and loose; don't panic. Using bench scraper to help, turn rectangle 90° and repeat rolling and folding, gathering loose bits of dough from outer edges into the center and flouring surface as needed. Repeat rolling and folding a third time. Dough should be somewhat homogenous and creamy-looking with some dry bits around edges. Squeeze a bit in your palm; it should loosely hold together. If not, repeat rolling and folding. Wrap folded dough in plastic, then press it into a compact disk about 1" thick. Chill 30 minutes.
• Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface to a 12"-14" round or oval about 1/8" thick (don't worry about cracks around perimeter). Dust surface and rolling pin with flour as needed and rotate dough often to prevent wider cracks. If dough sticks to surface, lift on one side and scatter flour underneath before continuing. Roll dough onto your pin, then unfurl it on a sheet of parchment paper. Slide onto a rimmed baking sheet and chill while you prep the filling.
• Do Ahead: Dough can be made 3 days ahead. Keep chilled, or transfer to a resealable plastic bag and freeze up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before rolling out.

Steps:

• In a large mixing bowl, sift together the flour and salt.
• Add the butter and cut into flour until the mixture resembles fine bread crumbs.
• (Using a food processor fitted with the dough blade makes the"cutting" process a little easier and faster).
• Mix in enough cold water to hold mixture together.
• Form into a ball.
• Wrap in wax paper (preferred) or plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for 30-45 minutes.
• Assembly: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
• Spray a baking sheet, muffin tray, etc.
• with nonstick cooking spray or grease with shortening.
• Remove pastry from refrigerator.
• Lightly sprinkle work surface with flour.
• Roll out pastry to about 1/8-inch thickness.
• Cut into circles, squares, or any shape and size that you like.
• Use any filling that you want.
• To"join" separate pastry pieces together, moisten the edges with beaten egg and gently crimp the edges together.
• If your dish is to have pastry on the top, brush the top of the pastry with beaten egg.
• Place on prepared baking sheet, muffin tray, etc.
• and bake for 50 minutes or until golden brown on top.
• Pastry freezes extremely well.

Steps:

• Blend together flour, butter, shortening, 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 (for a single-crust pie) or 5 tablespoons for a double-crust pie 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. For a single-crust pie, divide dough into 4 portions; for a double-crust pie, divide dough into 8 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. For a single-crust pie, press into a ball, then flatten into a 5-inch disk. For a double-crust pie, divide dough into 2 pieces, with one slightly larger, then form each into a ball and flatten each into a 5-inch disk. If dough is sticky, dust lightly with additional flour. Wrap each disk in plastic wrap and chill until firm, at least 1 hour.

Steps:

• Mix flour and salt together in a large bowl. Cut in butter using a pastry blender until the mixture resembles fine cornmeal. Pour in water slowly; knead dough into a firm ball.
• Pour in additional water as needed if dough is too dry or additional flour if too moist. Divide batter into equal halves. Roll out dough halves into rounds on a lightly floured work surface using a lightly floured rolling pin to desired thickness.
• Press one round into the bottom of a 9-inch pie pan. Use the other round as a top crust or for a separate bottom crust. Bake according to desired filling instructions.

Steps:

• Mix flour, salt and sugar.
• Cut in butter until crumbly.
• Mix beaten egg yolks,ice water and vanilla together.
• Mix into flour mixture until pastry just holds together.
• Knead in plastic wrap until smooth.
• Flatten; chill 1 hour.
• To partially blind bake: Set oven at 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Bake 15 to20 minutes, weighing pastry down with a layer of foil and dried beans.

Steps:

• 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.

Steps:

• In a mixing bowl, stir together the potatoes, oil, lemon juice, brown sugar and sea salt until well blended.
• Add the flour, baking powder and nutmeg and mix well.
• Divide in half, wrap each half in cling wrap and refrigerate 1 hour.
• Working one half at a time, roll out into a thin circle between sheets of wax paper.
• Turn into a 9" pie plate. Repeat with remaining half of dough.
• Use immediately or wrap well in cling wrap, then heavy duty foil, and freeze up to 6 months.

Steps:

• Cut butter into 1/2-inch cubes.
• To blend by hand:
• Blend together flour, butter, shortening, and salt in a bowl with your fingertips or a pastry blender until most of mixture resembles coarse meal, with rest in small (roughly pea-size) lumps. Drizzle 2 tablespoons ice water evenly over and gently stir with a fork until incorporated.
• To blend in a food processor:
• Pulse together flour, butter, shortening, and salt in a food processor until most of mixture resembles coarse meal, with rest in small (roughly pea-size) lumps. Add 2 tablespoons ice water and pulse 2 or 3 times, or just until incorporated.
• Test mixture:
• Gently squeeze a small handful: It should hold together without crumbling apart. If it doesn't, add more ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, stirring or pulsing 2 or 3 times after each addition until incorporated (keep testing). (If you overwork mixture or add too much water, pastry will be tough.)
• Form dough:
• Turn out onto a work surface and divide into 4 portions. With heel of your hand, smear each portion once in a forward motion to help distribute fat. Gather dough together and form it, rotating it on work surface, into a disk. Chill, wrapped in plastic wrap, until firm, at least 1 hour.