Olive Pastries Food

SYRIAN OLIVE PASTRIES

Steps:

• Olive Oil Pastry.
• Combine flour, baking powder and salt in a large bowl and make a well in the centre. Pour oil and orange juice into the well, then mix to form a smooth, satiny dough. Cover dough with plastic wrap and leave to rest for 30 minutes while preparing the filling. Preheat the oven to 180°C.
• For the olive filling.
• Combine all the filling ingredients in a bowl and mix well, then divide in half.
• For the egg-yolk glaze.
• Divide the rested dough into 2 equal portions then roll out each portion into a rectangle measuring 20cm x 24cm. Scatter each rectangle with half of the olive mixture to evenly cover pastry. Roll up to form a log. Transfer the logs to a baking tray pre-lined with non-stick baking paper and lightly brush each roll with the egg-yolk glaze. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until golden brown. Remove to wire rack to cool. Once cold, slice into 1cm-thick rounds and serve. Makes 36.

OLIVE PASTRIES

Steps:

• Place butter and flour into a bowl. Rub together until it looks like bread-crumbs.
• Mix in both the cheeses, knead lightly to firm it together. Roll into a 20cm log. Wrap in cling film and place in fridge for 30 minutes.
• Drain the olives well on kitchen towel. Unwrap pastry and cut into 20 pieces.
• Push thumb into the piece of pastry placing one olive in the centre and carefully wrapping the pastry around it making sure there are no gaps. Finish rolling on your pastry board with floured hands.
• When they are all done, refrigerate for one hour.
• Preheat oven to 210-220°C for 10 minutes or until they are lightly golden.
• Cool and serve with pre dinner drinks or a buffet.

PERFECT OIL PASTRY

Steps:

• Measure the flour carefully and put it in a medium-sized bowl. Add the dash of salt and stir it with a fork.
• Pour the oil in and stir and "cut" it with a fork until you've got clumps varying between pea-sized and lima bean-sized.
• Distribute the cold water over the mixture and stir and mash with the fork just until it all balls together.
• Wipe your countertop with a damp cloth and spread a piece of wax paper on it. The paper should not slide -- if it does, dampen the counter a LITTLE more.
• Form a little more than half of the dough into a disk and place it on the wax paper. Cover it with another piece of wax paper.
• Roll the dough with a rolling pin from the center out in all directions, keeping it as circular as possible.
• Periodically do the following:.
• peel off the top piece of wax paper, then lay it gently back on top of the crust.
• using the bottom piece to lift it, turn the crust over, peel off that piece of wax paper, lay it back down again and continue rolling.
• Continue the peel-replace-flip-peel-replace technique until your crust is about two inches bigger than your pie pan. IMPORTANT: Peel-replace-flip-peel -- then use the bottom piece of paper to lift the crust and place it over your pie pan. Gently peel off the wax paper.
• Use the same technique to roll the top crust.
• As you prefer, you can leave the top crust whole, cut it into strips for lattice, or whatever.
• OPTIONAL: Brush the top crust with milk and/or sprinkle it with sugar.
• Bake according to your pie directions.
• BON APPETIT!

CHICKEN AND OLIVE PASTRIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450°F.
• Spray mini muffin tin.
• Unfold pie crust and smooth out folds.
• In a large mixing bowl mix all other ingredients.
• With a 2-inch cookie cutter cut into the pie crust.
• Place one cut out in each mini cup.
• Press down lightly to form to the cup.
• Spoon in mixture into each cup--just to the top of each cup not too full.
• With the extra pie crust use a mini cookie cutter in any shape.
• Then put one over each filled cup (optional).
• Place in preheated oven on the middle rack and back for about 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.
• Serve warm or cold.