Crunchy Nut Pie Pastry Food

RICH SHORTCRUST PASTRY

Steps:

• Mix flour and salt together in a large bowl. Cut butter into the flour mixture until it is the consistency of breadcrumbs.
• Lightly beat eggs together in a separate bowl; stir into butter-flour mixture. Add water and mix just until incorporated, using your hands to bring dough together.
• Turn dough onto a floured work surface and cut into 4 portions. Refrigerate dough for 15 to 30 minutes before using.

CRUNCHY NUT PIE PASTRY

Steps:

• Combine the nuts, salt and flour in a medium bowl or in a food processor fitted with the metal blade. Cut in the butter with a pastry blender. Drizzle in water and mix until dough holds a ball.
• St dough on a sheet of plastic wrap or waxed paper. Top with another sheet and roll into a circle. Fit into pie plate and fill.

SWEET POTATO PIE WITH CRUNCHY CRANBERRY TOPPING

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Prick the sweet potatoes with a fork and bake them until they are soft, about 1 hour. Remove from the oven and set aside until they are cool enough to handle.
• While the potatoes are cooking make the pastry: combine the flour, sugar, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Add the butter and mix with a pastry blender or your hands until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Pour in the ice water and work it in to bind the dough until it holds together without being too wet or sticky. Squeeze a small amount together, if it is crumbly, add more ice water, 1 teaspoon at a time. Form the dough into a ball, wrap it in plastic wrap, and refrigerate it for at least 30 minutes.
• Sprinkle the counter and a rolling pin lightly with flour. Roll the dough out into a 10-inch circle. Carefully roll the dough up onto the pin and lay it inside a 9-inch pie pan. Press the dough firmly into the bottom and sides so it fits tightly. Trim the excess dough around the rim and pinch the edges to form a border. Place a piece of parchment paper over the crust and fill with uncooked beans or pie weights. Bake the pie crust until it sets, about 20 minutes. Remove the parchment and beans. Brush the bottom with the beaten egg white and set aside.
• While the crust is cooking make the filling: When cool enough to handle, peel the sweet potatoes and puree the pulp in a food processor with 1/2 stick butter and a pinch of salt. Measure 1 1/2 cups puree into a bowl. In another bowl beat the eggs and sugar until the sugar has melted. Add the eggs to the sweet potato puree and whisk well. Add the cream, orange zest, cinnamon, and nutmeg and stir well to combine. Pour the mixture into the pie shell. Place the pie pan on a sturdy cookie sheet to catch any spills. Lower the oven temperature to 325 degrees F and bake until the pie is set but still jiggles slightly, about 40 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow it to cool.
• Meanwhile, put the pecans on a baking sheet and bake them with the pie for about 10 minutes to toast them. Remove them from the oven and let them cool. Thaw the cranberries in a strainer set over a bowl to catch the liquid. Put the cookies, pecans, and cranberries into a food processor and pulse them a few times until they are coarsely chopped. Sprinkle the topping evenly over the cooled pie and serve immediately.

RICH PASTRY FOR CUSTARD PIES

Steps:

• Combine flour and salt in the bowl of a food processor.
• Cut the butter into chunks and distribute them over the flour. Mix with a spoon so each is coated. Process in six or seven short bursts until the butter pieces are a bit larger than peas.
• Beat yolk and ice water to combine thoroughly. Turn processor on and pour liquid through feed tube. Turn the processor off when the dough begins to clump up.
• Gather dough from blades, form into a ball, wrap tightly in plastic wrap and chill at least four hours before using.

PASTRY FOR A ONE-CRUST PIE

Steps:

• If food processor is used, combine the flour, egg yolk, sugar and salt in container. Cut butter into fine pieces and add. Process, adding just enough water to make pastry hold together.
• If food processor is not used, place flour, sugar and salt in mixing bowl. Cut butter into fine pieces and add. Using pastry blender or fingers, work in butter until mixture has texture of coarse cornmeal. Work in egg yolk. Add only enough water so dough can be gathered together and shaped into ball.Wrap in wax paper and chill for 30 minutes or longer.
• Roll dough out on floured board, turning as necessary and using a little more flour as necessary to prevent sticking.

ONE CRUST PIE PASTRY

Steps:

• Unbaked One-Crust Pie Crust:.
• Mix flour and salt in medium bowl. Cut in shortening, using pastry blender (or pulling 2 table knives through ingredients in opposite directions), until particles are size of small peas. Sprinkle with cold water, 1 tablespoon at a time, tossing with fork until all flour is moistened and pastry almost leaves side of bowl (1 to 2 teaspoons more water can be added if necessary).
• Gather pastry into a ball. Shape into flattened round on lightly floured surface. Wrap flattened round of pastry in plastic wrap and refrigerate about 45 minutes or until dough is firm and cold, yet pliable. This allows the shortening to become slightly firm, which helps make the baked pastry more flaky.
• If refrigerated longer, let pastry soften slightly before rolling.
• Roll pastry, using floured rolling pin, into circle 2 inches larger than upside-down 9-inch glass pie plate, or 3 inches larger than 10- or 11-inch tart pan. Fold pastry into fourths; place in pie plate. Unfold and ease into plate, pressing firmly against bottom and side and being careful not to stretch pastry, which will cause it to shrink when baked.
• Trim overhanging edge of pastry 1 inch from rim of pie plate. Fold and roll pastry under, even with plate; flute as desired. Continue with directions in pie recipe.
• 2. Baked Pie Crust:
• Heat oven to 475ºF. Mix flour and salt in medium bowl. Cut in shortening, using pastry blender (or pulling 2 table knives through ingredients in opposite directions), until particles are size of small peas. Sprinkle with cold water, 1 tablespoon at a time, tossing with fork until all flour is moistened and pastry almost leaves side of bowl (1 to 2 teaspoons more water can be added if necessary).
• Gather pastry into a ball. Shape into flattened round on lightly floured surface. Wrap flattened round of pastry in plastic wrap and refrigerate about 45 minutes or until dough is firm and cold, yet pliable. This allows the shortening to become slightly firm, which helps make the baked pastry more flaky. If refrigerated longer, let pastry soften slightly before rolling.
• Roll pastry, using floured rolling pin, into circle 2 inches larger than upside-down 9-inch glass pie plate. Fold pastry into fourths; place in pie plate. Unfold and ease into plate, pressing firmly against bottom and side.
• For pie, trim overhanging edge of pastry 1 inch from rim of pie plate.
• Fold and roll pastry under, even with plate; flute as desired.
• For tart, trim overhanging edge of pastry even with top of tart pan.
• Prick bottom and side of pastry thoroughly with fork.
• Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until light brown; cool on wire rack.