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In a food processor, place the flour, salt, and sugar and process
until combined. Add the butter and process until the mixture resembles coarse
meal (about 15 seconds). Pour 1/4 cup (60 ml) water in a slow, steady stream,
through the feed tube until the dough just holds together when pinched. Add
remaining water, if necessary. Do not process more than 30 seconds.
Turn the dough out onto your work surface
and gather it into a ball. Divide the dough into two equal pieces,
flatten each portion into a disk, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for
30 minutes to one hour before using.
This
will chill the butter and allow the gluten in the flour to relax.
At this point you can also freeze the dough for later use.
For each disk of pastry, on a lightly
floured surface, roll out the pastry to fit into a 8 or 9 inch (20 to 23 cm)
tart pan. To prevent the pastry from
sticking to the counter and to ensure uniform thickness, keep lifting up and
turning the pastry a quarter turn as you roll (always roll from the center of
the pastry outwards to get uniform thickness). To make sure it is
the right size, take your tart pan, flip it over, and place it on the rolled out
pastry. The pastry should be about an inch larger than your pan.
When the pastry is rolled to
the desired size, lightly roll pastry around your
rolling pin, dusting off any excess flour as you roll. Unroll onto the top of
your tart pan.
Never pull the pastry or you will get shrinkage (shrinkage is caused by too
much pulling of the pastry when placing it in the pan). Gently lay in pan and with a small
floured piece of pastry, lightly press pastry into bottom and up sides of pan. Roll
your rolling pin over top of pan to get rid of excess pastry. With a thumb up movement, again press dough into pan. Roll rolling pin over top again to get
rid of any extra pastry. Prick bottom of dough (this will prevent the
dough from puffing up as it bakes). Cover and refrigerate for 20
minutes to chill the butter and to rest the gluten.
To prebake the tart shell: Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (205 degrees
C) and place rack in center of oven.
Line the
unbaked pastry shell with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Fill tart pan with
pie weights or beans, making sure the weights are to the top of the pan and
evenly distributed over the entire surface. Bake crust for 20 to 25 minutes
or until the crust is dry and lightly browned. Remove weights and cool crust on
wire rack. Proceed with desired recipe that calls for a pre-baked shell.
Makes two - 9 inch (23 cm) tart shells.
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