This week's French Garden recipe

People who know me would tell you that it's hard to tell which I like more: gardening or cooking. I'd say it depends on which I'm doing at the moment. Anyway, French cooking and French gardening go hand in hand. For me, cooking is an on-going adventure. Join me here on my culinary explorations, where I share with you both my old favorites as well as new inspirations. It's my fondest wish that these recipes serve as a springboard for your own new creations.

09/22/2009
My tart pastry

Ingredients:

For a single 12-14" crust
1 c. unbleached all-purpose flour
10 T. unsalted butter*
good pinch salt
ice water

Put the salt and flour in a medium bowl; cut the butter into pieces and add.  Using a pastry cutter, cut the butter into the flour until it resembles a mix of coarse sand and small pebbles.  The 'pebbles' are small pieces of unmixed butter, which will make your crust flaky when rolled out.  Add ice water a tablespoon or two at a time, mixing with a fork after each addition, just until the pastry starts to come together under the fork.  Stop mixing and gather the pastry into a ball with your hands.  Flatten it into a thick round disk, wrap in plastic and refrigerate at least 2 hours before rolling out.  After rolling, refrigerate at least an hour before filling or baking.

Note:  If you've been frustrated by tart pastry that cracks and breaks as you roll it out, indulge in *French butter for your next try.  Its lower water content makes it less brittle and more supple.  Rolling out your pastry will be a breeze.  Bake your tarts in a clay tart pan for extra crisp, non-soggy and flaky results.

This recipe is nothing special, but handled right, it yields a superbly flaky crust that is delicious with sweet as well as with savory tarts.  It's my standby pastry and I could make it in my sleep.

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Products of Interest:
Jaspé tart plate

Try some of our past French garden recipes:

Appetizers and small dishes

Basics

Beef, pork, lamb, and veal