Crunchy Savory Tart Crust
October 03, 2006
Being adventurous of late, I decided to attempt this tart crust from my new cookbook, Once Upon a Tart. I read the preface on tart crusts and took some key points to emphasize here, in this blogger remake:
First, make sure the butter and shortening are very cold. Second, mix everything up fast, and use a wooden spoon to combine the ingredients once they are incorporated using a food processor or pastry cutter. Third, if using a pastry cutter to cut the butter into the dry ingredients, first place your bowl in the refrigerator for a few hours or overnight to keep the ingredients cold (the food processor works much faster so this step is not needed).
I know some of you are doubting whether this recipe works, whether its messy, or too much work. Well, I suggest making this dough ahead of time, and even rolling it out into your 9 inch tart pan covered in the fridge until you bake it. Once the crust is done, there are a million ways to make a delicious and savory filling. This recipe makes two 9 inch tarts.
Baking ware you will need:
- 9 inch tart pan
- pastry cutter or food processor
- metal bowl, cooled in the refrigerator
- wooden spoon
- parchment paper
- cup of beans (don't try to eat these later!)
Ingredients you will need:
- 2 1/2 c flour
- 3 tbsp of semolina flour
- 1 tsp sea salt or kosher salt
- 12 tbsp ( 1 1/2 sticks) cold butter, diced into cubes
- 3 tbsp cold solid vegetable shortening
- glass of ice water
Step One: Mix flours and salt in large cooled metal bowl. Cut in butter & shortening into the flour mixture with a pastry cutter or in the food processor pulsing for 15 seconds, and then a few times more to loosen mixture up. The mixture should resemble crumbs.
Step Two: Spoon in ice water one tablespoon at a time, folding the mixture with a wooden spoon. The dough should begin to form, but still be a tad dry. I ended up using 3 tablespoons of water. Use your hands to finish bringing the dough together and form a ball.
Step Three: Cut dough in half, wrap each in plastic and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Step Four: Roll out 1 disk of dough into 1/4 inch thick; place over a 9 inch tart pan and form so that you cover the bottom and walls of the pan with dough. Return to the fridge for another 30 minutes before baking.
Step Five: To bake, first prick holes in the bottom of the tart with a fork, line with parchment paper or foil and fill with beans (they act as weights). Bake for 10 minutes, remove weights and bake for another 5-10 minutes for a par-baked shell, and another 15 minutes for fully baked shell.
Voila! You are a tart master! Stay tuned for a delicious filling.
Cool
Labels: tart
