Sweet Tart Pasta Salad Food

SWEET TART PASTRY

Steps:

• Sift together the flour, sugar, and salt into a bowl.
• Toss butter through flour mixture to coat pieces. Using fingertips, rub fat into flour, working it until you have created a coarse meal with a few pea-size particles of fat.
• Empty crumbs onto a cool surface. Form mixture into a mound. Make a 4 to 5 inch well in center of the mound. Combine egg and vanilla and pour mixture into the well. Using a fork, draw crumbs into egg mixture, about 1 - 2 tablespoons at a time. When all crumbs are added, toss mixture a few times with a pastry blender to form large clumps, then scrape into a mound.
• Using the heel of your hand, push 2 - 3 tablespoons of the dough at a time, outward in 6 to 8 inch sweeps. This will blend fat and flour and give crust a delicate texture. If your hand becomes sticky, flour it as needed. Repeat process until all dough has been worked. Gather dough into a mound again. Repeat procedure 2 more times.
• After third time, flour your hands. Gently knead the dough 5 or 6 times to make it smooth. Shape into a 5 inch disk. Dust disk lightly with flour, score with side of your hand, cover with plastic wrap, refrigerate for 20 minutes before shaping. DO NOT LET DOUGH BECOME TOO HARD or it will be difficult to roll. If this happens, let pastry soften at room temperature.
• Roll out to 1/8 inch thickness. After dough has been rolled, position rolling pin 4 inches from top of the pastry. Lift dough over top of rolling pin and gently roll dough toward you. Lift pastry up. Make sure you keep a finger pressed against barrel of rolling pin to keep it from slipping. Position pastry, leaving about 1 1/2 inches of dough hanging over edge of pan on side closest to you. Then unroll pastry over an ungreased tart pan, moving pin away from you. Immediately lift overhang into pan to prevent sharp edge of the pan from cutting dough.
• Working a small portion of the dough at a time, mold it into crease of the pan. Trim excess pastry from top edge of pan. Chill pastry in refrigerator or freezer for up to 30 minutes. Tear an 18 inch square of tin foil. Make a buttered circle in center of foil 2 inches larger than size of pan. Place foil buttered side down, centering it into the baking pan. Using your hand, press foil flush against the sides.
• Heat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Position shelf in lower third of oven. Fill pan with enough dried beans or baking nuggets to just cover surface of pan. DO NOT OVERFILL. Bake pastry shell on a shallow pan with sides. Bake crust 15 to 18 minutes or until sides begin to brown. Remove pan from the oven. Let stand about 30 seconds. Gently remove foil and beans. Reduce oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Continue to bake crust for 3 to 5 minutes or until it is golden. If bottom of pastry shell puffs up, tap it gently with bottom of a fork to expel the air. Do this carefully so the pastry crust doesn't break. When crust is done, cool completely before filling.

SWEET-TART CUCUMBER SALAD

Steps:

• Place cucumbers in a colander over a plate; sprinkle with 1 tablespoon salt and toss. Let stand 30 minutes. Drain., In a small bowl, whisk vinegar, sugar, lemon juice, celery seed, pepper and remaining salt until blended. In a large bowl, combine cucumbers and onions. Pour dressing over cucumber mixture; toss to coat. Refrigerate, covered, at least 2 hours before serving.

HOLIDAY SWEET TART SMOOTHIE

Steps:

• Blend grapes, water, cranberries, ice cubes, and apple in a blender until smooth. Adjust by adding additional water a little at a time to achieve the consistency desired.

WONKY SUMMER PASTA, HERBY SALAD, PEAR DROP TARTLETS

Steps:

• TO START
• Get all your ingredients and equipment ready. Turn the oven on to 375°F. Fill a large saucepan with hot water, put it on a high heat and cover with a lid. Put the fine grater attachment into the food processor.
• TARTLETS
• Put the pie shells onto a baking sheet and spoon 1 soup spoon of raspberry jam into each one. Slice 4 pear halves and divide between the pastry shells. Scatter a few lemon thyme leaves over each, if using. (If using a 9-inch shell, use all of the pear halves from the can.)
• PASTA
• Carefully separate 2 eggs and put the yolks into a big serving bowl. Put the whites into a small mixing bowl.
• TARTLETS
• Add the superfine sugar and a pinch of salt to the small mixing bowl with the egg whites, turn on the electric whisk, and leave running at full speed until the mixture is glossy and stiff.
• PASTA
• Add 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil and a good pinch of salt & pepper to the bowl of egg yolks. Grate the Parmesan in the processor and tip it into the bowl of egg yolks with the lemon zest and juice. Reserve some of the small basil leaves, then split the rest of the bunch into 2 halves. Pound one half in a pestle & mortar until you have a green paste, and roughly chop the other half. Add both to the bowl. Stir until everything is mixed together, then season with salt & pepper.
• TARTLETS
• The egg whites should be glossy, smooth, and thick by now, so mix in the vanilla paste or extract, then spoon and smooth the meringue over the tartlets so you get lovely peaks. Put into the oven on the middle shelf and set the timer for 6 minutes, or until golden and lovely. (If using a 9-inch shell, lower the oven temperature to 350° and cook the tart for 20 minutes.)
• SALAD
• Put the pancetta into an empty frying pan on a medium heat and add a squashed, unpeeled clove of garlic. Once the slices are golden, turn them over and add the tablespoon of fennel seeds. Meanwhile, put the salad leaves onto a serving platter or into a large bowl. Quickly tear in some mint and tarragon leaves, and add a large handful of whole or halved grapes. When the pancetta is nice and crispy, take the pan off the heat. Toss the salad together and put on a platter. Crumble over the crispy pancetta, and sprinkle the fennel seeds on top.
• Make the dressing. Pour 1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil and 2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar into a small pitcher or screw-top jar. Add a pinch of salt & pepper and squeeze in the juice of 1/2 lemon, then take to the table with the salad so you can dress it right before tucking in.
• PASTA
• Stack the lasagne sheets on a chopping board and carefully slice them into fairly thin strips - do this in batches. Add to the pan of boiling water with a good pinch of salt. Stir, then put the lid on slightly askew and keep it at a hard boil for just 1 1/2 minutes.
• TARTLETS
• Check on your tartlets and take them out to cool if cooked. Take the ice cream out of the freezer so you can serve it with your tartlets when ready.
• PASTA
• This pasta must be eaten ASAP to be enjoyed properly, so call everyone around the table now. I like to use tongs to move the pasta to the egg mixture, because the cooking water that comes with it is what really makes the sauce incredible. If you find that tricky, just drain the pasta in a colander, but save the water. Toss the pasta and sauce together quickly, then add 2 or 3 more spoonfuls of cooking water to make it silkier if needed. Fresh pasta is constantly sucking up water so make it slightly looser than it needs to be and it will be perfect at the table. Have a taste. Does it need more salt or Parmesan to balance the lemon juice? If so, adjust then sprinkle over the reserved basil leaves and grate over some extra Parmesan. Take to the table, quickly dress the salad, and eat right away.

SWEET TART PASTRY

Steps:

• Let the butter sit at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes. It should be malleable but still cool.
• Place the confectioners' sugar in the bowl of a standing mixer or into a medium-size mixing bowl. Using a paddle attachment for a standing mixer or a hand-held electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar at medium speed until the sugar is no longer visible. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the egg yolk, and beat until well blended; then, scrape down the sides of the bowl again. Add 1 cup of the flour, and beat just until the dough looks crumbly. Add the remaining flour and the cream, and beat until the dough forms a sticky mass.
• Shape the dough into a disk, and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate until firm, 2 hours.
• Dust a work surface with flour. Cut the chilled dough into 1-inch pieces. Using the heel of your hand, knead the pieces back together and reform the dough into an even, flattened disk about 6 inches in diameter. Lift it off the work surface, and dust the surface with flour again.
• Dust a rolling pin with flour. Roll the dough into a 12-inch round about 1/8-inch thick.
• Very lightly dust the surface of the dough with flour, gently fold it in half and slip the flat bottom of a 9- to 9 1/2-inch fluted straight-sided flan ring under the dough so the dough covers half of it, with plenty of overlap. Carefully place the bottom of the pan into the flan ring, allowing the excess dough to sit up against the sides. Unfold the dough, and with your thumbs on the inside and the tips of your fingers on the outside of the ring, use light pressure to fit the dough into the pan so the bottom and sides are completely covered and the dough extends about 1/2-inch above the rim of the pan. Cut the pastry so it is flush with the rim of the pan. Any tears can be pressed back together or patched with scraps.
• Using a fork or a pastry docker, prick the bottom of the dough all over.
• Place the tart pan in the freezer for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 375 degrees, and position a rack in the center.
• Remove the dough from the freezer, place in the oven and bake 5 minutes. Check the dough. If it seems to slip down a bit from the sides, use your fingertips and gently push it back. Rotate the pan in the oven. Check again after another 5 minutes. If the dough bulges up in the center, prick it in one or two places with a thin skewer. Rotate it again. Continue baking another 5 to 8 minutes, until the pastry is golden brown. Total baking time should be 15 to 18 minutes.
• Remove the pan from the oven, and allow the dough to cool completely on a rack.

SWEET & TART PASTA SALAD

Steps:

• Cook noodles, drain and coat with oil.
• Mix sugar, vinegar, salt, pepper, Accent, garlic powder and mustard; pour over noodles.
• Add veggies and toss to evenly coat.
• Refrigerate. Best if marinated atleast 1 day, if not 2.
• "Cooking time" on recipe reflects marinating time.

SWEET TART CRUST

Steps:

• Put the flour, sugar and salt in a food processor, and pulse to blend. Scatter in the butter, and pulse about a dozen times, until the butter is cut in - you'll have pieces the size of oatmeal flakes and others the size of peas. Stir the yolk to break it up and add it in 3 additions, pulsing after each. Pulse until the dough has curds and clumps; it should hold together when you pinch it. Turn it out onto a counter, knead it into a compact ball and flatten it into a disk.
• Roll the dough into an 11-inch circle between layers of parchment (or wax) paper. If it's cold enough, fit it into a 9-to-9½-inch tart pan with a removable bottom, trimming the top even with the pan's edges; if it's not, chill it until you can work with it. Refrigerate the crust (in the pan) for at least 1 hour (or cover and freeze for up to 2 months).
• Heat the oven to 400. Place the pan on a baking sheet, and cover with a piece of buttered foil or parchment, pressing it lightly to cover the crust's bottom and sides; fill with rice.
• Bake for 20 minutes. Carefully remove the foil and rice. If you're going to bake the tart again with a filling, bake it uncovered for 5 minutes more. If you'll be using a no-bake filling, bake the uncovered crust for an additional 8 to 10 minutes. Cool for at least 30 minutes before filling.

CREAMY PASTA SALAD WITH CELERY

Steps:

• Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente; drain and rinse under cold water to stop cooking. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, whisk together mayonnaise and lemon juice. Add celery stalks and leaves, onion, and cooled pasta; season with salt and pepper. Toss to combine.