Slab Pie Pâte Brisée Food

PATE BRISEE (PIE DOUGH)

Steps:

• In the bowl of a food processor, combine flour, salt, and sugar. Add butter, and process until the mixture resembles coarse meal, 8 to 10 seconds.
• With machine running, add ice water in a slow, steady stream through feed tube. Pulse until dough holds together without being wet or sticky; be careful not to process more than 30 seconds. To test, squeeze a small amount together: If it is crumbly, add more ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time.
• Divide dough into two equal balls. Flatten each ball into a disc and wrap in plastic. Transfer to the refrigerator and chill at least 1 hour. Dough may be stored, frozen, up to 1 month.

SLAB PIE PATE BRISEE

Steps:

• Process flour, salt, and sugar in a food processor until combined. Add butter. Process until mixture resembles coarse meal, about 10 seconds. With machine running, add ice water in a slow, steady stream just until dough comes together. (Do not process more than 30 seconds.)
• Turn dough out onto a piece of plastic wrap. Flatten dough, and shape into a rectangle. Wrap in plastic. Refrigerate at least 1 hour (or overnight).

SLAB PIE PâTE BRISéE

Steps:

• Place the flour, salt, and sugar in the bowl of a food processor, and pulse for a few seconds to combine. Add the butter, and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs, about 10 seconds.
• With machine running, pour the ice water through the feed tube in a slow, steady stream, until the dough just holds together when squeezed. If needed, add more ice water 1 tablespoon at a time. Do not process for more than 30 seconds.
• Turn out the dough onto a clean work surface. Divide into two pieces, one slightly larger than the other. Form into flattened rectangles. Wrap each in plastic, and refrigerate at least 1 hour or overnight.

EASY SLAB PIE PATE BRISEE

Steps:

• Place flour, salt, and sugar in the bowl of a food processor; pulse for a few seconds to combine. Add butter; pulse until mixture resembles coarse crumbs, about 10 seconds.
• With machine running, pour ice water through feed tube in a slow, steady stream, until dough just holds together when squeezed. If needed, add more ice water 1 tablespoon at a time. Do not process for more than 30 seconds.
• Turn out dough onto a clean work surface. Divide into two pieces, one slightly larger than the other. Form into flattened rectangles. Wrap each in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to overnight.

TEST KITCHEN'S FAVORITE PATE BRISEE

Steps:

• Pulse flour, salt, and sugar in a food processor until combined. Add butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal with some pea-size pieces remaining. Drizzle 5 tablespoons water over mixture; pulse several times to combine. Add more water,1 tablespoon at a time, and pulse until mixture holds together when pinched.
• For a 9-inch pie, shape dough into two disks and wrap each in plastic. For a slab pie, shape dough into a rectangle and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate at least 1 hour and up to 1 day, or freeze up to 3 months; thaw overnight in refrigerator before using.

STRAWBERRY SLAB PIE

Steps:

• Make the Double-Crust Pate Brisee and divide it in half. Place one half back in the fridge while you work with the other.
• Generously flick flour over the work surface and roll out the dough into a rectangle about 1/4 inch thick and large enough to line the bottom and sides of a rimmed 9 x 13-inch quarter-sheet pan or baking pan. Line the bottom and sides of the pan with the dough, making sure to press the dough into the corners. You may need to patch it up if the dough tears. Dock it with a pastry docker (see Cook's Note) or by poking it all over with a fork. Refrigerate the pie shell for at least 30 minutes to allow the dough to relax.
• Meanwhile, line a baking sheet or large flat platter with parchment paper and set aside. Remove the other half of the dough from the fridge and roll it into a rectangle about 1/4 inch thick and large enough to cover the whole top of the pie. Place the rolled-out dough on the prepared baking sheet or platter and refrigerate until you are ready to use it.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and place a rack in the center of the oven. Line the pie shell with parchment paper and fill it with pie weights, dried beans, or uncooked rice. Blind bake the pie shell (see Cook's Note) for 20 to 30 minutes, rotating the pan midway through the baking time, until the pie shell is matte and pale golden brown. Remove it from the oven and let cool on a wire rack. When the pie weights have cooled down, remove them carefully from the pie shell and discard the parchment. Set aside the pie shell.
• In a medium bowl, combine the strawberries, superfine sugar, cornstarch, orange zest, and salt and toss to combine well. Let macerate for about 15 minutes. Pour the fruit and any accumulated juices over the pie shell. Remove the rolled-out dough from the fridge and drape it over the pie. Press the dough gently along the rim of the pan to adhere it to the edges of the bottom crust. Trim any excess dough so that there is just a slight overhang (the dough will shrink during baking, so you want there to be a little extra along the edge). Whisk the egg for the egg wash in a small bowl with a fork. Use a pastry brush to lightly brush the top of the dough with the egg wash. Sprinkle the top evenly with the sanding sugar. Slit the dough decoratively in 6 to 8 places to allow steam to escape while baking. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, rotating the pan midway through the baking time, until the top is dark golden brown through and through--no pale soggy places!
• Remove the pie from the oven and let cool on a wire rack for at least 2 hours, so the fruit has time to set up. Serve warm or at room temperature.
• The pie can be stored well covered, at room temperature for up to 1 day or in the fridge for up to 3 days. If you store it in the fridge, it's best served warmed; reheat the pie in a 300 degrees F oven for 15 to 20 minutes, until the top and bottom crisp up a little bit.
• In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, paddle together the flour, sugar, and salt for 10 to 15 seconds. Cut the butter into about 12 pieces and add it to the flour mixture. Paddle slowly until the flour is no longer bright white and the mixture holds together when you clump it, and there are still lumps of butter the size of pecans throughout, 60 to 90 seconds.
• Whisk together the egg yolks and milk in a small bowl and add them all at once to the flour-butter mixture. Paddle very briefly, just until it barely comes together, about 30 seconds. It will look really shaggy and more like a mess than a dough.
• Dump the dough out onto a clean work surface and gather it together into a tight mound. Using the heel of your hand, smear the dough, starting at the top of the mound and sliding your hand down the sides of the mound along the work surface, until most of the butter chunks are smeared into the dough and the whole thing comes together.
• Wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap and press it down to make a disk about 1 inch thick. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before using.
• The dough can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 4 weeks. Wrap in another layer of plastic if storing for more than 1 day.

PâTE BRISéE

Steps:

• Pulse flour, salt, and sugar in a food processor (or whisk together by hand in a bowl). Add butter, and pulse (or quickly cut in with a pastry blender or your fingertips) until mixture resembles coarse meal, with some larger pieces remaining. Drizzle 1/4 cup water over mixture. Pulse (or mix with a fork) until mixture just begins to hold together. If dough is too dry, add 1/4 cup more water, 1 tablespoon at a time, and pulse (or mix with a fork).
• Divide dough in half onto two pieces of plastic wrap. Gather into two balls, wrap loosely in plastic, and press each into a disk using a rolling pin. Refrigerate until firm, well wrapped in plastic, 1 hour or up to 1 day. (Dough can be frozen up to 3 months; thaw in refrigerator before using.)
• Shortening Variation
• Replace 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter with 1/2 cup cold vegetable shortening, cut into small pieces.
• Lard Variation
• Replace 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter with 1/2 cup cold lard. For the best quality, it's worth seeking out leaf lard. You can buy rendered leaf lard from online vendors, or from artisanal butcher shops.
• Cornmeal Variation
• Replace 1/2 cup flour with 1/2 cup coarse cornmeal.
• Cheddar Variation
• Reduce butter to 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) and add 1 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar to the flour mixture along with the butter. Increase sugar to 1 tablespoon.

PATE BRISEE (FRENCH SHORTCRUST)

Steps:

• Place flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor and pulse 3 or 4 times to mix. Add cubed butter; pulse until crumbly.
• Pour slow stream of ice water through feed tube while the processor is on low speed until dough holds together when pinched, making sure not to add too much.
• Divide dough evenly into 2 pieces. Form dough into discs on a lightly floured work surface. Wrap discs with wax paper or parchment paper before wrapping with plastic wrap. Chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or until use.
• Roll dough out on a lightly floured work surface using a lightly floured rolling pin between 2 pieces of parchment paper to desired thickness when ready to use.
• Butter two 9-inch tart pans. Roll crusts 1 at a time onto the rolling pin and unroll over tart pans. Gently push dough into the prepared pans, molding to the sides. Trim edges with fingers or a knife. Fill and bake according to filling recipe instructions.

PATE BRISEE FOR SOUR CHERRY SLAB PIE

Steps:

• Place the flour, salt, and sugar in the bowl of a food processor, and process for a few seconds to combine. Add the butter, and process until the mixture resembles coarse meal, about 10 seconds. With the machine running, add the ice water in a slow, steady stream, through the feed tube, just until the dough holds together. Do not process for more than 30 seconds.
• Turn the dough out onto a work surface. Divide in two with one piece slightly larger than the other. Place each half on a sheet of plastic wrap. Flatten, and form two rectangles. Wrap, and refrigerate at least 1 hour before using.

MARTHA STEWART'S SLAB PIE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375 degrees. On a lightly floured surface or between two large floured pieces of plastic wrap, roll out larger piece of dough to an 18x13-inch rectangle, trimming excess dough.
• Fit into a 15x10 inch rimmed baking sheet, pressing into corners (pastry will hang over sides). Chill while assembling filling.
• In a large bowl, stir together fruit, granulated sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice and salt. Spread mixture over chilled pie shell. Chill again while you roll out the top crust.
• On a lightly floured surface or between two large, floured pieces of plastic wrap, roll out remaining piece of dough to a 16x11-inch rectangle; drape over filling. Fold edge of bottom dough over top dough. Crimp if desired. Prick top dough all over with a fork. Brush entire surface with cream or an egg wash (thinned with a little water if necessary), and sprinkle with granulated sugar.
• Bake until crust is golden and filling is bubbling, 40 to 55 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack, and let pie cool until just warm to the touch, about 45 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature, cut into 12 pieces. Slab is best eaten the day it is baked but it can be kept at room temperature, loosely covered with plastic wrap, for up to 2 days.
• Pate Brisee directions: Process flour, salt and sugar in a food processor until combined. Add butter. Process until mixture resembles coarse meal, about 10 seconds. With machine running, add ice water in a slow, steady stream just until dough comes together. (Do not process more than 30 seconds.).
• Turn dough out in two portions onto two pieces of plastic wrap with one slightly larger than the other (this will be your bottom crust). Flatten dough and shape into rectangles. Wrap in plastic. Refrigerate at least 1 hour (or overnight).