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.

06/15/2010
Quick puff pastry

Ingredients:

For about 2 lbs. of pastry (you will need a kitchen scale for this):

11 oz.(300 gm) unsalted butter
1 lb. 2 oz. (500 gm) unbleached white flour
1 tsp. salt
1/2 c. ice water, approximately

Place the flour and salt in the bowl of your food processor, whirl briefly to mix.  Cut the butter into chunks and dump it in with the flour.  Pulse briefly, then add water bit by bit through the feed tube with the machine running just until the pastry starts to come together (about 1 minute).  Stop processing immediately.  Scrape the dough into a flattened disk, wrap in plastic, and chill for at least half an hour.

Divide the pastry in half and roll one of the halves into a rectangle about 20" x 8".  Fold the short ends of the dough into the center, then fold in half along the center, like a book.  Wrap and chill for at least 15 minutes. 

Place the dough before you on the work surface as if you were going to open the book.  Roll again to the same dimensions, repeat the same folds.  Wrap and chill.  Repeat this process 3 times in all.

Repeat with the other half of the dough.  The pastry is now ready to be used in your favorite recipe requiring puff pastry.  This recipe makes enough for 2 tarts or other recipes.  The extra may be securely wrapped and frozen.

Note:  While not as flaky and high-rising as a true puff pastry, this dough is perfectly adequate for most puff pastry uses--and so much quicker!

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Try some of our past French garden recipes:

Appetizers and small dishes

Basics

Beef, pork, lamb, and veal