Flaky Pastry Tart Shells
"This is the recipe we used in making the Onion Tarts that I loved so much. I have never had any luck with pastry dough in the past but this one was pretty easy. The key is not to work it too much. The less you touch it, the better it will be. The instructions may seem long, but I am trying to be a thorough as possible. The tarts can be frozen and baked frozen, they do not need to thaw."
- Ready In:
- 1hr 30mins
- Ingredients:
- 4
- Yields:
-
7 inch shells
- Serves:
- 4
ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup butter, chilled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
- 6 -8 tablespoons ice water
directions
- Place the flour, butter, and salt in a food processor fitted with a steel blade.
- Pulse about 24 times, then open the machine and lift a nadful of crumbs. The largest pieces of butter should be the size of raw grains of rice or barley, if larger, pulse again.
- When the butter pieces are the correct size, transfer the mixture to a large mixing bowl.
- Sprinkle 6 Tbs of ice water onto the dough. Spread the fingers of one hand, and using your rigid fingertips as if they were a large fork, stir the dough 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.
- Break the piece in half; if it seems dry and crumbly, cautiously add more water a few tsp at a time until you can squeeze it into a ball that will not brumble when broken apart.
- The dough is easiest to work with immediately if your kitchen is reasonably cool, the butter was cold and you used ice water. If your kitchen is very warm, wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 15 minute.
- Turn the pastry dough out on a lightly floured board and divide it inot quarters for small 7-inch tart shells or in half for large 10-inch shells.
- Shape 1 piece of dough into a disk and dust the top lightly with flour.
- Begin to roll out the dough, using quick but gentle strokes with the pin. Start with the pin in the middle of the round and roll to the top, then the bottom.
- Rotate the dough 1/4 turn each time you roll to be sure the dough is not sticking and use additional flour as necessary.
- When the round is larger than 9 inches for a small tart or 12 inches for a large tart and about 1/8-inch thick.
- Trim the edges of the rounds if you want, but the edge is hand formed so it really doesn't matter all that much.
- Fold 1/2-inch edge of dough all around to form a decorative rim.
- 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, and a twisted rop pattern will form.
- Roll out the remaining dough in the same way, and crimp 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 min or up to 24 hours. They can be frozen on the baking sheets, and when frozen, stack them inside freezer bags. Bake the shells without thawing.
- Prebaking:Preheat the oven to 375ºF.
- Brush the rims of the tarts with an egg wash.
- Bake 1 baking sheet at a time for 15 min, then reduce the heat to 350ºF and continue to bake until they are an even golden brown, 8-12 min longer.
- Lift a shell with a spatula and check that the underside is evenly brown. If the tart shells puff up during baking, press down the center of the pastry with the back of a large spoon.
- Let cool on the baking sheet.
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Hi! My name is Robin, and welcome to my about me page. I will try to be as brief as possible, but I tend to be long winded. If you get bored at anytime, feel free to move on...I won't be offended.
I was born in the great city of New Orleans, but have had the pleasure of travelling and living all over the place. My parents moved to Lafayette, Louisiana when I started high school. After high school, I was a nanny and lived in England (London). I miss it A LOT!! England, not the being a nanny part. I lived and got married in California (Los Angeles), but we moved back to Lafayette to be closer to family. Well, to make a long story short, things didn't work out and we got a D-I-V-O-R-C-E!!! After that, I packed up and moved to Texas (Beaumont).
I met the love of my life (Toby) on-line - believe it or not - and he whisked me away to Kentucky (Louisville). Which is where I lay my head and call home now. I absolutely love it here!! I love having seasons!! The trees changing colors in Fall and snow in the Winter, along with a BEAUTIFUL Spring and HOT Summer!! We live in the house Toby grew up in, and are about to start doing some MUCH needed renovations! (I DEMAND A BIGGER KITCHEN!!) I have recently (this past year) started growing my own herbs. I threw in a few tomato plants for good measure :D. Now I have the bug!! I want more more MORE!! So Toby has so lovingly decided to make me an actual garden. This way I can grow all sorts of fun stuff!! I can't wait!! I love fresh home grown veggies and stuff!! And NOTHING beats fresh herbs!!!
Toby has a son (Zach, 11) from a previous marriage. I guess that would make me the wicked stepmom.....I hope not!!! We also have in our lovely family 2 dogs (Daisy, a Cockapoo who runs the house and Missy, a Black Lab), a cat (Mystery), and a ferret (Flower).
I am a stay at home stepmom (that is my job), so I have all day to cook and look up different recipes. I LOVE it!! I have figured out that I can cook twice as much if I give half of what I cook away....LOL!! This means Toby's business partner and his wife eat just as well as we do!! They have told me on many occasions, that if I can't take Toby anymore they will add on to their house to make room for me. All I have to do is cook!! LOL!!
My parents are foodies and I TOTALLY blame them for my passion for food!! I will try anything once. I have found that I really do like some things I "thought" I hated. Although, I do still HATE (green)peas!!
Here is my rating key for reviews:
***** = HEAVEN - I would not change a thing!!
**** = Was VERY good, but would make a few changes
*** = Not a bad recipe, but would make quite a few changes if I made it again
** = Would have to make a lot of changes to enjoy
* = Didn't enjoy it at all, and will probably not make again.
