Weave a Thousand Flavors

Valentine's Day ~ KARMEL SUTRA Tartlets

The first bite should give you hope,

the second lust &

by the third you're in love!

~

Luscious Chocolate Ganache & Caramel Mingle in a Graham Cracker - Almond Crust

Say it ain't so!

10 Tips to Pie Crust Nirvana & Good Ole' Buttery Sweet Potato Pie

At the risk of repeating myself, let me just say this yet again, "Pie crusts are like predators,  they smell fear".

I have come to a point and I say this with nothing but humility that I no longer fear the pie crust. For me having fixed it week after week, year after year has a lot to do with this. Yes we eat a lot of crust in its myriad uses. But this puffing of the chest business didn't come overnight. Nothing worse than the night before Thanksgiving being up till 1.30am trying to fix a pie crust recipe that is flawed, that came from a solid source and I say it again,  flawed.

I therefore no longer shop around for pie crust recipes but stick with this true blue, time tested recipe because I know that it will render the same result in all its  fabulous glory, day in and day out.

As I set out to write about sweet potato pie, I realised that even though none of us needs yet another pie recipe, I reckon we can all do with a really good one. This right here, right down to its naked crust is just that.

It's taken some thought churning to really pin down what leads to my personal pie nirvana and having penciled down the lot, I'm ready to share it with you.

~ 10 Tips to Pie Crust Nirvana ~ 

1. Invest in a really good quality pie dish. 

I love my Emile Henry because the burgundy clay used to make it and its thickness, ensures even baking throughout. I never realised what a difference a dish makes till I got rid of my cheapo one.

2. Use chilled butter

Using somewhat softened or sweaty butter softens the whole dough ball making it very tough to handle and making you sweat in the interim!

3. Have all your ingredients ready to go before you begin

Yes, a few minutes of advance preparation really pays off because once you get on the pie train, there's no getting off. 

4. Get rid of distractions & follow instructions meticulously

This is not the time to watch your fave soap or psycho-babble with a girlf friend. Plus you're going to be a lot more excited blowing your trumpet after you fix the pie.

Stop playing with the recipe - you ain't a cat and the pie crust ain't your ball of yarn. Stick to the recipe - it works!

5. Use a timer or a seconds watch for the dough

When the recipe says pulse for 25 seconds, it means 25 seconds - not 15 & not 30 so it's best to use technology.

6. Use your palms. And chill baby chill!

Divide the dough into little balls and flatten with the heel of your hand. This gives the crust the flaky layers we love. Also chill that dough for the allotted time because if you don't you'll be cussing the whole way through as the dough will be very hard to handle.

7. Work fast once the dough is out of the refrigerator

Don't turn it into a sweaty dough ball because you left it sitting out on the counter top.

8. flour, flour, flour

Liberally flour the work surface where you'll be rolling out the dough - use 1/4 cup flour. This means you can easily quarter-turn the crust as you roll.  

9. Roll evenly & 4" beyond the base of the pie dish

Nothing worse than not having enough crust to cover the dish. So I always roll out to 4" beyond the diameter of the base which covers the sides real well and gives me enough overhang to do the edges.

While you roll use a light hand and roll out the edges too. Its very common to end up with a thin center and a thick rim. Distribute the pressure as you roll.

10. Don't trim exactly to the edge of the pie dish

Trim 1/2" beyond the edge of the pie dish so you can pinch the edge to give you a nice scallop. Remember the crust will shrink once you bake and if you don't have enough of a overhang, you'll end up with a naked edge in spots much like a receding hairline.

So there you have it!

PLEASE share your pointers that work for you and I will be happy to add it to this list.

And now onwards to fixing some buttery sweet potato pie.

An Itsy Bitsy Bit of News & 'Captain America' Tarts for the Kid in You {a.k.a Raspberry Crush Tartlets}

I am back from vacation and that means I now need a vacation just to get over the fatigue of this one! You know what I mean - from unloading the suitcases to piles of dirty laundry that need rescuing not to mention meals that must be made for hungry mouths, how is it that coming back from vacation is the exact 360 degree opposite of being on one? You go from doing nothing to doing everything in a single day!

My day has been made all the more exciting by the fact that the boys go back to school tommorrow. Yah! That'll teach me to better plan next time and not return the day before they begin school.

All said and done - Wow! Chicago ~ more on that later.

Returning home, what was lovely inspite of the loads of laundry et cetra et cetra was returning to two bits of good news. Remember those Baked Wonton Cups with Queso, Southwestern Chicken Salad & Cranberry Guacamole  I posted back in May? How nice that I'm not the only one who thought that these were fabulous - Tyson foods has chosen this as their winning recipe as part of the Foodbuzz Taste Maker's Challenge and as result, I get to attend an all expenses paid trip to Foodbuzz Food Bloggers Conference 2011 in San Francisco this November. Now isn't that the kinda news to come home to?

But wait that's not all - my dear friend Angela Gunder has been featuring food blogger interviews on her wonderful website and today she has featured moi. You'll find that here.

Needless to say, I returned to many reasons for a sweet treat and got right down to it especially as load # 1 was being churned in water and detergent.

My 9 year old son peeked over the counter-top as these goodies made an exit out of the oven 30 minutes later.

"Wow, Mom they look good"! "Why'd you put the star on top'?

"No reason, I just thought they'd look cute"

"Well actually they look like Captain America's shield"

"You know what, I think you're right - they do don't they?"

"Infact you should blog these and call them Captain America tarts"

And so what moments ago may have been presented as simple raspberry crush tarts now appear before you as much more endearing Captain America tartlets.

All this because fall is here. And is making its presence known far sooner than I am prepared to welcome it. As a result,  I am gearing up for the loss of berries making a weekly appearence in our home kitchen and doing my level best to squeeze in as many berry recipes as I can while these beauties still grace the aisles.

These raspberry crush tarts which take just a handful of ingredients to throw together are easy to love. How can you resist fresh raspberries and jam, filling a buttery flaky tart shell? The jam does a wonderful job cutting through the tartness of the raspberries without a cloyingly sweet, end result.

Sounds to good to be true? Well, why complicate that which is best left simple?

A Lazy Sunday Brunch & Smoked Salmon & Mascarpone-Brie Filled Pastry with Chive Butter Sauce

 

My time for procrastination has come to an end.

It has been a week of throw together one dish meals and with the exception of a Steak and Ale pie & those delightfully quick guacamole morsels that I was compelled to prepare for a community gathering a few days ago, I have done neither any noteworthy cooking nor blogging.

Obviously even Mum has noticed because she happened to mention casually yesterday that she hadn't seen any of my 'draft' posts or writing go up. Nor have I discussed any new meals with her with my usual fervor that overshadows most of our conversations. 

I therefore awoke with more gusto than usual this Sunday and was determined to put to use some of the groceries that I have hoarded in the refrigerator for a couple of weeks awaiting such a morning.

I am delighted that I will be using smoked salmon which I love  and by the way can scoff down in large quantities and with such swiftness that were it put to the test it would be to the embarrassment of all my family members & certainly give Mr. Hubby a run for his money!

I also know I want to use Brie just not sure how I'm going to use it just yet. Also some stalks of asparagus, frozen puff pastry and a sort of buerre blanc sauce. Though the concept is firmly embedded in my noggin, the details are somewhat sketchy and like so many of my culinary adventures I have decided to don my apron, Chef's thinking cap and go with the flow.

The flow as it were, led here.

 
The initial idea for this recipe began with vol au vents which Mum and I always made for dinner parties stuffed with chicken & Mushrooms back when I was growing up. The idea was further crystallized by a recipe for salmon stuffed puff pastry rolls in the Australian Womens Weekly. The decision to use Brie, walnuts, asparagus and chive butter sauce has more to do with the Sound of Music song really - These are a few of my favorite things - Well, they are! 

And when in doubt use puff pastry!

 

I've got Snail Mail & Just in time for a Splendid No-Roll Chicken & Pecan Crumb Pie

I love it when the likes of Christmas morning arrives unexpectedly!

Well, it feels like Christmas to me because when the knock on the door revealed the man-in-brown holding a rather large box, I was eager with anticipation at the possibility that it could very well be my coveted and awaited Emile Henry 9" pie dish. Hooray!

This is wonderful timing because it coincides with a conversation I've had with Leslie, one of the owners at the quaint Wildflower Cafe in Clearwater, Florida. They have a wonderfully idyllic neighborhood cafe tucked away which serves a wonderful breakfast, brunches and don't even get me started on their pies!

During a visit many years ago I still remember their excellent Chicken & Pecan pie was. Anyway, I got on the telephone and decided to ask for the recipe because I was pining for a slice and I don't think Mr. Hubby is interested in buying me a $544 air ticket any time soon!

As Leslie pointed out the recipe was also featured in their local newspaper.

Why is the timing providential? Because Pie meets Dish my friends!

For those of you who've hung out with me in the kitchen these last 3 months you probably know that where most women salivates over their Oscar de la Renta's, I salivate over my bake ware & cook ware and as far as I'm concerned Emile Henry & Mauviel top my drool list!

I look past the detritus of my package opening session cluttered around me in a hope to get it cleaned up before Mr. Hubby comes in through the door and starts tsk-ing in displeasure. And finally revealed is this -

Wow! First thought, look how thick it is! My no-names pie dish that I've had for years tends to overcook my pies in spots & is half the thickness of this baby plus, I love the color! A beautiful glistening red, technically a 'cerise' - none of that 'can't quite put my finger on it - could go 2 shades this way or that way'.

I also love that beautiful scalloped edge which I think will be perfect homemade pies - reminiscent of the pinched edges, don't you think? And it can go from freezer to oven!

So lets get started and put the dish to good use so we can start digging into this.....

This I promise you, this pie is going to be on top of your list for holidays, brunches, potlucks, day after Thanksgiving & every other occasion that requires a stress-free fabulous dinner prepared in advance. You know why?

Because its even better, when you bake it, cool it, refrigerate it and then eat it! How great is that? Finally a dish that's made for us busy worker bees.

Also, absolutely brilliant with chutneys and marmalade (in fact I wouldn't advise you miss it for the world) I served it with my special Chutney de POM, Kumquats, Jalapeno & Ginger - the recipe for which is here but you can serve it with any favorite fruit chutney or marmalade of your choice.

The ingredients for this recipe can be divided into the filling & the pie crust (base & topping)

The filling -

Use leftover rotisserie chicken (both dark & white meat in equal quantities for a moist filling), red Spanish or vidalia onion, Tabasco sauce, dried dill, sour cream, mayonnaise, eggs, chicken stock, shredded cheddar cheese.

Chicken - De-bone and chop the chicken.

Onion - Peel, discard the skin and finely chop.

Eggs - Crack & dispose shell. Beat with a fork & set aside.

In a large mixing bowl add beaten eggs, chicken, sour cream, mayonnaise, chopped onions, Tabasco, dill & shredded cheese.

With a spatula stir. Add the chicken stock and stir again. Once well blended, set aside.

Pie crust & topping -

Preheat the oven to 350 deg F.

Gather the ingredients - all purpose flour, shredded cheddar cheese, chopped pecans, vegetable oil & paprika.

In a medium bowl, mix all the ingredients. Use a spatula or use your clean hands. Mix until all the ingredients are completely blended and a crumbly mixture is formed.

Use non-stick baking spray and generously spray the inside of the 9" pie dish - base and side walls.

Separate the mixture into 2 equal parts. Use one half for the base and set aside the other half for the topping.

Using clean hands, spread the mixture (the half for the base) as best you can and press along the sides and the walls so it of as uniform thickness as possible.

Keep pressing the mixture down so it stays in position.

Bake the pie base ion the preheated oven for 15 minutes. It will show only a slight browning but not considerable color difference.

Spoon all the contents of the filling into the baked base.

Sprinkle the other half of the crumb topping uniformly over the pie.

Place in the preheated oven for 45 minutes.

Do not open the oven door or mess with it in any way during the baking process.

And what you get is the pie with a wonderful crumbly top - gorgeous texture as you can see!

Set the pie aside for at least 45 minutes to an hour before serving or else the filling will be runny. If you are serving the next day, allow the pie to cool completely and then refrigerate.

Cut into the pie and the filling is firm but moist and not at all dry. The base and topping is like a streusel texture, flaky & cheesy.

Serve it with some wonderful fruit chutney. I served mine with my special Chutney de POM, Kumquats, Jalapeno & Ginger - the post for which is here

The pie filling is so very creamy and flavorful. The cheese and pecan pie crust and base provide a wonderful textural and flavor variation to the creaminess of the filling.

Very pleasing to the eye and the belly. I will be making this again and again. Given the ease of preparation it's on my must-do list for brunches!

With little bites of the chutney, the pie is elevated to a whole other level. The spicy-tart-sweet flavors from the chutney, work beautifully with all the elements of the pie. This would be great even with a simple orange marmalade in a pinch me thinks.

I have to say, the Emile Henry pie dish has done its job admirably - there was no uneven browning at all. One must attribute this to the thickness & that burgundy clay they use. I'm thrilled with it and can't wait to use it for all my summer fruit pies!Yum!

Recipe for

Splendid No-Roll, Chicken & Pecan Crumb Pie

Adapted from the Original recipe by Wildflower Cafe, Clearwater, Florida

Please Note - I have used artistic liberties & adjusted quantities of some the ingredients from the original recipe. These differences have been highlighted with cross-outs.

Preparation time - 30 minutes

Baking time- 1 hour

Shopping list

Filling-

12 oz cooked chicken 13 oz cooked rotisserie chicken, chopped

3 eggs

1-1/2 cup sour cream 1 cup sour cream

3/4 cup mayonnaise 1/2 cup mayonnaise

3/4 cup chicken broth 1/2 cup chicken stock

3 dashes Tabasco sauce

3/4 tsp dill 1 tsp dried dill

3 oz shredded cheddar cheese

1/3 cup finely chopped vidalia or red onion

Pie base & topping -

1-1/2 cup all-purpose flour

4 tbs vegetable oil

1/2 cup chopped pecans

1 tsp salt 3/4 tsp salt

1 tsp paprika

6 oz shredded cheddar cheese

Preparation -

The filling -

Chicken - De-bone and chop the chicken.

Onion - Peel, discard the skin and finely chop.

Eggs - Crack & dispose shell. Beat with a fork & set aside.

In a large mixing bowl add beaten eggs, chicken, sour cream, mayonnaise, chopped onions, Tabasco, dill & shredded cheese. With a spatula stir. Add the chicken stock and stir again. Once well blended, set aside.

Baking method -

Preheat the oven to 350 deg F.

Gather the ingredients for the pie crust & topping - all purpose flour, shredded cheddar cheese, chopped pecans, vegetable oil & paprika.

In a medium bowl, mix all the ingredients. Use a spatula or use your clean hands. Mix until all the ingredients are completely blended and a crumbly mixture is formed.

Use non-stick baking spray and generously spray the inside of the 9" pie dish - base and side walls. Empty the contents of the crumbly mixture into the pie dish.

Separate the mixture into 2 equal parts. Use one half for the base and set aside the other half for the topping.

Using clean hands, spread the mixture (the half for the base) as best you can and press along the sides and the walls so it of as uniform thickness as possible.

Keep pressing the mixture down so it stays in position.

Bake the pie base ion the preheated oven for 15 minutes. It will show only a slight browning but not considerable color difference.

Spoon all the contents of the filling into the baked base.

Sprinkle the other half of the crumb topping uniformly over the pie.

Place in the preheated oven for 45 minutes.

Set the pie aside for at least 45 minutes to an hour before serving or else the filling will be runny. If you are serving the next day, allow the pie to cool completely and then refrigerate.

Serve with some wonderful fruit chutney. I served mine with I served it with my special Chutney de POM, Kumquats, Jalapeno & Ginger - the recipe for which is here

Enjoy!

 

What a tart! Caramelized Onion, Goat Cheese & Walnut Quiche

I adore tarts! (the baked variety, I mean) and it is wonderful to have an eager audience when one bakes such delightful creations.

I have been dying to fix a goat cheese tart for the longest time but we are such carnivores in our family that I always have to make a special effort to prepare an all vegetarian meal that it has thus far been  pushed to the back burner.

So when our friend, Saurin from Chicago was scheduled to come over for a few days, the moment was ripe. Not only is he a strict vegetarian and also an avid foodie which meant not only was this an opportunity to hone my all vegetarian cooking skills but I can actually make  something with goat cheese for someone that wasn't going to turn his nose up at it!

It has been my experience that food & people broadly fall in these categories -

1) There are those who would rather starve than be willing to try something outside their realm of comfort.

2) And others who would whine & fuss and pick on their food because they dislike this or hate throughout a meal - picky, picky, picky ( for me such people are like nails on a chalkboard!)

3)  And on the opposite side of the spectrum, there are others for whom 'anything goes so  a bowl of 'stone soup' would suffice as long as they are fed 3 times a day!

But here, here was a golden opportunity -  here was someone who would not be afraid to walk into the exciting world of goat cheese (or so I fervently hoped as his plane hit the runway!)

Later that evening, when he asked me what's for dinner & I replied, Caramelized Onion, Goat Cheese & Walnut tart & his expression turned joyous, close to rapture, I knew that here - here was someone who was no longer 'people'!

The recipe requires 1 recipe pre-baked 'No fear, No fail' Pate Brisee - Quiche tart shell . I urge you to read the post here so you get the tips & tricks to bake a successful tart shell.

Other than that the main ingredients for the filling are these - goat cheese, walnuts, red onions, salt, pepper, eggs, egg yolks, milk, sour cream & chives.

Preheat oven to 475 deg F (not a typo)

Begin by peeling & slicing the red onion, into semi-circular 1/8" thick slices.

 

In a saute pan, heat the butter till it has melted. Add the onions and salt & saute on medium heat for 5 minutes or until it has just begun to soften.

  

Lower the heat & cover with a tight lid to steam the onions for about 20 minutes. Keep stirring the onions regularly to prevent from un-uniform & quick browning.

Cook's Note - If during this process the onions begin to stick to the bottom of the pan & caramelize, add 1 tbs of water. Stir and cover the pan, repeating the process if necessary.

Once the onions are caramelized a light brown, remove from the heat. Cool.

 

In a mixing bowl, beat eggs & egg yolk. Add milk & whisk to blend. Add goat cheese (room temperature) and sour cream, salt & pepper and whisk. If you are finding it hard to blend, use a hand held electric mixer for a few seconds.

 

Chop chives to achieve about 1 tbs & add to the filling mix. Stir. Measure & set aside chopped walnuts.

  

Spread the onion on the bottom of the tart shell. Pour the filling mixture in the tart shell over the onions. Top with walnuts, spreading evenly. Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes. And when it pops out of the oven you get this!

 
Set aside to cool for 10 minutes before un-molding tart or slicing.

The quiche with its buttery flaky crust melts in your mouth as you bite into it.

The sweetness of the caramelized onions balance well with the flavor of the goat cheese and the walnuts gives it just the right occasional crunch. The chives with its slight garlicky-onion flavors blends right in. It was just a lovely meal and thoroughly enjoyed by us all.

And 30 minutes later....

Ta..daa...

Need I say more?

Recipe for

CARAMELIZED ONION, GOAT  CHEESE & WALNUT QUICHE

Preparation & baking time for quiche shell- 30 minutes (prepare in advance)

Preparation time for filling - 30 minutes

Baking time for Quiche - 20 minutes

You will need -

1#  Pate Brisee - Quiche tart shell

Filling - 

3 medium red onions

2 tbs butter

6 oz goat cheese

2 eggs + 1 egg yolk  

1 cup milk

1/4 cup sour cream      

1/2 cup walnut pieces

12 stalks chives                

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp ground black pepper

Preparation-

Eggs - Crack 2 eggs in a bowl. Discard shells & whip. Separate 1 egg & add yolk only to the other 2 eggs.

Chives - Chop fine

Red Onions - Begin by peeling & slicing the red onion, into semi-circular 1/8" thick slices.

Cooking method -

Preheat oven to 475 deg F .

In a saute pan, heat the butter till it has melted. Add the onions and salt & saute on medium heat for 5 minutes or until it has just begun to soften.

Lower the heat & cover with a tight lid to steam the onions for about 20 minutes. Keep stirring the onions regularly to prevent from un-uniform & quick browning.

Cook's Note - If during this process the onions begin to stick to the bottom of the pan & caramelize, add 1 tbs of water. Stir and cover the pan, repeating the process if necessary.

Once the onions are caramelized a light brown remove from the heat. Cool completely.

In a mixing bowl, beat eggs & egg yolk. Add milk & whisk to blend. Add goat cheese (room temperature) and sour cream, salt & pepper and whisk. If you are finding it hard to blend, use a hand held electric mixer for a few seconds.

Chop chives to achieve about 1 tbs & add to the filling mix. Stir. Measure & set aside chopped walnuts.

Spread the onion on the bottom of the pre-baked and cooled tart shell.

Pour the filling mixture in the tart shell over the onions.

Top with walnuts, spreading evenly. Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes.

Set aside to cool for 10 minutes before un-molding tart or slicing.

No fear, No fail - Quiche Tart Shell {Pate Brisee}

It doesn't matter if this is your first time or your 30th time fixing a tart pastry - A tart is like a dog, it smells fear! And making a tart is all about confidence.

It is therefore it is a good idea to summon up your confidence before you approach such a task - to this end I usually imagine myself to be one of the 'Daughters of  Grendel' - you know from Beowulf (AD 700-1000) the legendary monster who was feared by all but Beowulf! Does amazing things for my confidence, that.

I am particularly eager to get started on the tart as my first step to tonight's dinner - a sinful caramelized onion, goat cheese & walnut tart - doesn't that sound good?

It is honor of our friend Saurin who is visiting from Chicago and happens to be a strict vegetarian. It's wonderful to have him visit not just because of all the fun we have but because it challenges me to produce all vegetarian meals outside my regular repertoire.

So now that I am in the zone, its time to roll up those sleeves and get started.

 

In a food processor fitted with a metal blade, add all-purpose flour, cold butter (from refrigerator) cut into 8 slabs, 1 egg and 1-1/2 tbs chilled (from refrigerator) water.

Pulse  for 25 seconds till a ball has formed. If in 25 seconds the mix is still crumbly & a dough ball has not formed, add 1/2 tbs chilled water and pulse again for 25 seconds till a dough ball has formed.

  

Flatten dough ball between palms, wrap it in cling wrap and refrigerate for 10-15 minutes till it is cold (this will make it easier to roll out) Remove from the refrigerator, discard the cling wrap and sprinkle with 1 tbs flour.

  
 

Begin to roll out the pastry. Using a rolling pin, apply light pressure while rolling outwards from the center of the dough.

Every once in a while you may need to gently lift under the dough with your fingers to make sure it is not sticking. Also, turn the pastry a quarter turn every once in a while so it is rolling out uniformly. As the edges fray, pinch with finger and continue rolling. Sprinkle more flour under the pastry as needed.

 Lift the pastry off the bottom and wrap around the rolling pin. Pull tart pan closer to you and drape the pastry over it as best you can.

Cook's Note - If there are tears or any weak spots or holes in the pastry, patch with pastry dough that is the draped over the edges.

Using 2 fingers gently press the sides of the pastry to the sides of the pan.

 

 

 

Using the rolling pin, trim the edges using the edge of the tart pan as a guide.

 

Cook's Note - I know that the pastry looks like a patched quilt but that is OK - for one, the base will be covered with filling and secondly, take heart in the fact that a pastry dough that is soft and prone to tearing will bake into a buttery, flaky crust while a pastry dough that is tough & hard will bake into a tough crust.

Using a clean fork  or tweezers, indent the tart edge with a decorative edge. Continue till the entire tart has a decorative edge.

  

Take a large piece of aluminum foil and spray non-stick spray on the dull side. Place over the tart and pour 1 lb uncooked dry grains or chick peas over the foil to weigh down the tart and prevent it from puffing up.

Bake for 20 minutes till the edge is golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes. Remove the foil & grains.

Set tart aside for next step in the recipe. If freezing, allow it to cool completely, wrap in foil and then in a freezer safe zip lock bag.

Recipe for

PATE BRISEE - QUICHE TART SHELL

Makes 1 single layer tart for a 10-11" tart

Shopping list

1-1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1 stick (115 gms) cold butter, unsalted

1 egg                             

1/8 tsp salt

1-1/2 tbs to 2 tbs ice cold water

Preparation-

Dough - In a food processor fitted with a metal blade, add all-purpose flour, cold butter (from refrigerator) cut into 8 slabs, 1 egg and 1-1/2 tbs chilled (from refrigerator) water.

Knead for 25 seconds till a ball has formed. If in 25 seconds the mix is still crumbly & a dough ball has not formed, add 1/2 tbs chilled water and knead again for 25 seconds till a dough ball has formed.

Flatten dough ball between palms, wrap it in cling wrap and refrigerate for 10-15 minutes till it is cold (this will make it easier to roll out) Remove from the refrigerator, discard the cling wrap and sprinkle with 1 tbs flour.

Cooking method -

Begin to roll out the pastry. Using a rolling pin, apply light pressure while rolling outwards from the center of the dough.

Every once in a while you may need to gently lift under the dough with your fingers to make sure it is not sticking. Also, turn the pastry a quarter turn every once in a while so it is rolling out uniformly. As the edges fray, pinch with finger and continue rolling.

Lift the pastry off the bottom and wrap around the rolling pin. Pull tart pan closer to you and drape the pastry over it as best you can.

Using 2 fingers gently press the sides of the pastry to the sides of the pan. Using the rolling pin, trim the edges using the edge of the tart pan as a guide.

Using a clean fork and tweezers, indent the tart edge with a decorative edge. Continue till the entire tart has a decorative edge.

Take a large piece of aluminum foil and spray non-stick spray on the dull side. Place over the tart and pour 1 lb grains or chick peas over the foil to weigh down the tart and prevent it from puffing up.

Bake for 20 minutes till the edge is golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes.

Remove the foil & grains.

Set tart aside for next step in the recipe. If freezing, allow it to cool completely, wrap in foil and then in a freezer safe zip lock bag.

Just in Time {La Pastiera di Grana} A Traditional Wholegrain Easter Ricotta Pie from Campania, Italy

I enjoy taking every opportunity to celebrate holidays and traditions from around the world. That's something Mr. Hubby and I decided right at the onset that we would do - always celebrate the traditions of every country we lived in & live in. It's our way of reminding ourselves & our children that it truly is a small world,  full of wonder and to keep an open mind about our differences. Because our differences is what also makes it all  so very exciting.

I mean who wants to live in a world surrounded by oneself?!

So when Easter took me quite my surprise this week and I finally decided to get my act together just in time to fix something special for it, I was astounded by the variety of desserts prepared for this occasion in the various regions of Italy.

Sweet Easter Bread in Sicily, Easter Fruitcake from Trieste and this Ricotta  Pie from Campania in the Naples region.

This would be exciting in itself but it was made more so by the fact that there are variations to this centuries old recipe - some using farro, whole wheat, cracked rice & even cracked wheat.  The whole grains signify fertility for Easter.

In this version of the recipe, the textures & flavors using whole wheat berries, pine nuts, candied orange peels and orange flower water was something I couldn't resist.

I have had to start a good 24 hours earlier to baking day  as you know because  I have not been able to locate candied orange peels as these are usually sold in the US during holiday season. So I have had to make these from scratch. 

If you are in a similar predicament, you will find the post on how to make candied orange peels at home here

Also the wheat berries require a good 6-8 hours or overnight soaking. And so it was that at 10.00 PM last night I finally began fixing this pie.

Note to self - Do not start pies late at night unless you are prepared to stay up into the wee hours of the morning!...sigh...

In the kitchen with me are my favorite people when it comes to regional Italian cooking - Mario Balati (I could kiss his orange crocs!) and Nika Hazelton.  Not in person silly, their books!

I have had Hazelton's cookbook since I was about 10 years old. Picked it up from a street vendor in Mumbai and have treasured it since. She was writing books way before I was born & I really love her down to earth attitude to cooking Italian regional foods. And Thank God for Batali - for  fearlessly bringing true local regional Italian cooking (such as sea urchins)  into the main stream here in the US as in his restaurants  Lupa & Esca, NYC.

I am using Hazelton's more embellished version for the filling here but using Batali's dough thicknesses and baking times. Other than that the recipe are pretty darn similar.

There are 3 categories to this recipe:

- Filling

- Pasta Frolla, Sweet pastry dough. You will find the recipe for that here

- Assembly & weave pie crust

Off we go - first with the wheat berries.

 

Earlier in the day I soaked the wheat berries in plenty of hot water for about 6-8 hours. As the wheat berries took on water they swelled, softened and got darker. Sieve and set aside after soaking period.

   

 

In a pan, add the wheat berries, completely cover with water and bring to boil on high heat. Lower heat, cover with a tight fitting lid and cook for 30 minutes. Stirring occasionally. Sieve and set aside. The wheat berries will be softer but still have a crunch to them.

Now its time to begin with the - Pasta Frolla, Sweet pastry dough.

Because this recipe is a must in one's culinary arsenal and will be used time and time again for various other recipes, you'll find the post here

Once the spring foam pan is lined with pastry dough & is cooling in the refrigerator, begin preparing the  filling.

Preheat the oven to 350 deg F

   

Wheat berries - To the boiled wheat berries add the butter, milk & sugar. On medium-high heat bring to boil.

   

Reduce the heat to low and keep cooking the wheat berries, regularly  stirring until almost all the milk has been evaporated. When there is a little liquid in the pan and it looks like the sugar is beginning to crystallize (about 30 minutes) sieve the berries & drain away the remaining liquid.

You will be left with the milk solids & sugar mixed in with the wheat berries.

While this is cooking prepare the remaining ingredients but keep an eye on the wheat berries so it does not stick to the bottom of the pan.

 

Lemon & Orange rinds - Using a rind tool or a fine vegetable grater, grate the rind from the orange and lemons. Keep turning the fruit to avoid grating into the pith.  Grate both in the same bowl.

 

Raisins - Soak in plenty of hot water. Set aside.

 

Candied Orange peels - Place in a mini-chopper and chop till very fine. You will need about 1/2 cup finely chopped peels so do this in 2 batches if needed.

In a large mixing bowl add the ricotta, orange and lemon rinds, orange flower water & heavy cream. Using a hand immersion blender, beat the mixture till smooth.

 

Separate one egg and a time and place 1 yolk into the mixture. Beat till smooth. Then repeat with the next egg yolk. Keep going till all 4 egg yolks are incorporated.

 
 

To the blended ricotta mixture, add the pine nuts, finely chopped orange candied peels & ground cinnamon. With a rubber spatula fold till well incorporated.

 

Add the soaked raisins and fold again. Add the cooked wheat berries and fold until well incorporated.

Cook's Note - I think it is very interesting that the sugar in the pie comes by transference from the wheat berries. No sugar is directly added into the filling and it the sweetness is in perfect proportion.

 

The texture of the filling is incredible - so rich, wholesome and rustic. You just know you're dealing with a very old recipe here. So unlike the smooth fillings that we generally find nowadays. The flavors are phenomenal.

Fill the refrigerated pastry base with the filling and smooth the top with a rubber spatula. Set aside. 

To begin the woven pastry top -

   

Roll the pastry out with the refrigerated dough ball to diameter of the spring foam pan (about 11")

Place a scale in the center of the rolled pastry and using a paring knife, cut at 1" increments towards you. 

Using a pizza wheel, cut the strip all the way until the pastry is cut into 1" lengths.

Place the spring foam close to the pastry top.

 

 

 

Beginning with the pastry length at one end, lift each alternate length and place on the pie keeping the same 1" separation between the lengths.

 

Lift & fold over each alternate pastry length along its own length. Place the longest length in the center of the pie, perpendicular to the other pastry lengths as shown. Unfold the folded pastry lengths over the perpendicular lengths.

 

Now take the parallel  lengths that are running underneath the perpendicular strip and fold them back over the perpendicular strip, as shown. Lay down a second perpendicular length of dough next to the first length, with some space between the lengths. Unfold the folded parallel lengths over the second length.

 

Remember - Keep going alternating lengths till you get one half of the pie done.

Then begin working on the other side of the pie. That way you won't get confused as to which lengths to use.

 

 

Now onto the other side of the pie -

    

Continue this process until the weave is complete over the entire top. The edges will remain folded around the sides of the pan until the whole pie is done.

 

Once the weave on whole the top of the pie is complete, using a dinner knife, trim the edge of each length and press each edge down into the pie base (so the two pastry's meet & join)

 

This is what it looks like once the weave & trimming is complete

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Beat some of the left over egg whites.

  

With a pastry brush, gently smudge the egg while over the weave till the whole weave has an egg wash. Do not use long strokes all over the pie. Restrict the egg wash over the weave only.

Bake in pre-heated oven for 55-60 minutes until the top is beautiful golden brown. Detach the spring foam pan sides and allow to cool.

Loving the weave!

The texture in this pie is incredible. The first scent that hit us when we cut into it was the scent of oranges. The  textures with the whole grains is wonderful nestled in the sweetened ricotta. The pastry is flaky and with every bite the entire spectrum of flavors come together. This is not an oozing pie but firm & rich. Very old world indeed!

As we were having this after lunch, I looked out and saw the  orange blossom trees in full bloom and I realized that the people who originally created this pie had done something quite remarkable - they had managed to capture the essence of spring in a dish!

Don't you want a piece of that?

Recipe for

{La Pastiera di Grana} A Traditional Wholegrain Easter Ricotta Pie from Campania, Italy 

Grain soaking time - 8 hours or overnight

Preparation time - 1-1/2 hours

Cooking time - 1 hour

Makes 1 # 11" double crust pie

Shopping list

1 cup wheat berries

water to soak & boil wheat

1 cup milk

3/4 cup granulated sugar

2 cups (1 lb) fresh ricotta cheese

2 tbs heavy cream

1 orange (rind)

2 lemons (rind)

1/4 cup orange flower water

4 egg yolks

1/2 cup pine nuts

1/2 cup raisins

1/2 cup full  finely chopped candied orange peels

1 recipe for double crust sweet pastry - Pasta Frolla

1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

2 egg whites beaten - for wash

Preparation -

Wheat berries -  Soaked the wheat berries in plenty of hot water for about 6-8 hours or overnight.  Sieve and set aside after soaking period.

In a pan, add the wheat berries, completely cover with water and bring to boil on high heat. Lower heat, cover with a tight fitting lid and cook for 30 minutes. Stirring occasionally. Sieve and set aside. The wheat berries will be softer but still have a crunch to them.

Pasta Frolla, Sweet pastry dough - Begin with this recipe here 

Return to the wheat berries - To the boiled wheat berries add the butter, milk & sugar. On medoum-high heat bring to boil.

Reduce the heat to low and keep cooking the wheat berries, regularly  stirring until almost all the milk has been evaporated. When there is a little liquid in the pan and it looks like the sugar is beginning to crystallize (about 30 minutes) sieve the berries & drain away the remaining liquid.

You will left with the milk solids & sugar mixed in with the wheat berries.

While this is cooking prepare the remaining ingredients but keep an eye on the wheat berries so it does not stick to the bottom of the pan.

Lemon & Orange rinds - Using a rind tool or a fine vegetable grater, grate the rind. Keep turning the fruit to avoid grating into the pith. 

Raisins - Soak in plenty of hot water. Set aside.

Candied Orange peels - Place in a mini-chopper and chop till very fine. You will need about 1/2 cup finely chopped peels so do this in 2 batches if needed.

Filling - 

Preheat the oven to 350 deg F

In a large mixing bowl add the ricotta, orange and lemon rinds, orange flower water & heavy cream. Using a hand immersion blender, beat the mixture till smooth.

Separate one egg and a time and place 1 yolk into the mixture. Beat till smooth. Then repreat with the next egg yolk. Keep going till all 4 egg yolks are  incorporated so.

To the blended ricotta mixture, add the pine nuts, finely chopped orange candied peels & ground cinnamon. With a rubber spatula fold till well incorporated.

Add the soaked raisins and fold again. Add the cooked wheat berries and fold until well incorporated.

Fill the refrigerated pastry base with the filling and smooth the top with a rubber spatula. Set aside. 

Begin to weave pastry top -

Roll the pastry out with the refrigerated dough ball to diameter of the spring foam pan (about 11")

Place a scale in the center of the rolled pastry and using a paring knife, cut at 1" increments towards you. 

Using a pizza wheel, cut the strip all the way until the pastry is cut into 1" lengths.

Place the spring foam close to the pastry top.

Beginning with the pastry length at one end, lift each alternate length and place on the pie keeping the same 1" separation between the lengths.

Lift & fold over each alternate pastry length along its own length. Place the longest length in the center of the pie, perpendicular to the other pastry lengths as shown. Unfold the folded strips over the perpendicular strip.

Now take the parallel  lengths that are running underneath the perpendicular strip and fold them back over the perpendicular strip, as shown. Lay down a second perpendicular length of dough next to the first length, with some space between the lengths. Unfold the folded parallel lengths over the second length.

Remember - Keep going alternating lengths till you get one half of the pie done.

Then begin working on the other side of the pie. That way you won't get confused as to which length to use.

Continue this process until the weave is complete over the top of the pie. The edges will remain folded around the sides of the pan until the weave over the whole pie is complete.

Once the weave on whole the top of the pie is complete, using a dinner knife, trim the edge of each length and press each edge down into the pie base (so the two pastry's meet & join)

With a pastry brush, gently smudge the egg while over the weave till the whole weave has an egg wash. Do not use long strokes all over the pie. Restrict the egg wash over the weave only.

Baking the pie -

Bake in pre-heated oven for 55-60 minutes until the top is beautiful golden brown.

Detach the spring foam pan sides and allow to cool. Slice into wedges and serve warm or at room temperature. Not chilled.

Enjoy!

No fear, No fail - Sweet pastry a.k.a Short crust pastry {Pate Sucree, Pasta Frolla}

Making your first pie pastry, sugar or otherwise is a lot like going scuba diving for the first time.

My first experience scuba diving was at the Great Barrier Reefs. I was so excited, it was something I had wanted to do a long time and couldn't wait. Have spent hours on the boat from Cairns to finally be able to go diving, to see all that coral up close. Wow!

So with the help of the PADI instructors I get all geared up - they ask me to lower myself into the water and I start breathing through the mouth thingy and the minute I hit the water, I pull out my mouth thingy and start trying to breathe through my nose - underwater. Needless to say - it didn't work, I panicked and I almost gave up.

Then my PADI instructor said something that stayed with me all these years - he said, "If you give up now, you'll never forgive yourself and you'll never forget it. Diving is all about the mind. Stay in the water, hold on to the side of the boat and talk to yourself till you get comfortable and try again"

I am very glad I did - because there is NOTHING and I mean NOTHING compared to being down on the ocean floor holding your first sea cucumber (and your last) or putting your hand in the mouth of a giant clam.

So no matter what your experience baking your first pie pastry has been, its time to strap on your diving equipment, try again and succeed! Having said that - check your diving equipment i.e. your recipe.

Which is why - you won't find a gazillion variations of tart pastry or sweet pastry dough on this blog - nope just 2 - one for fruit tarts and one for quiches. Why? because the only recipes that matters are the ones that don't let you down the night before Thanksgiving when you've been at it for 3 hours and its already 11.00pm and you've tried everything to fix this pastry mess and you can't - it still won't work so, you start over ...... not funny and plays havoc with your confidence (yup - I know, been there-done that).

The difference between the 2 tart pastries is that one is made with butter & sugar which makes it a little crusty and flaky (which I think is wonderful for grilled fruit tarts) and other with lard and salt which is very flaky and wonderful for quiches).

Today's sweet pastry dough is the first step towards a Easter Ricotta pie. Yum!

In a food processor fitted with a metal blade, add all-purpose flour, cold butter (from refrigerator) cut into 8 slabs, 1 tbs sugar, egg yolks and 2 tbs chilled (from refrigerator) water.

Pulse for upto 25 seconds till a ball has formed. If in 25 seconds the mix is still crumbly & a dough ball has not formed, add 1/2 tbs chilled water and knead again for 25 seconds till a dough ball has formed.

Transfer the dough ball to a lightly floured surface and using the heel of your palms, knead the dough 3-4 times. This process is called fraisage and gives that wonderful flaky crust we all crave.

Flatten dough ball between palms, lightly flour the surface, wrap it in cling wrap and refrigerate for 10-15 minutes till it is cold (this will make it easier to roll out) Remove from the refrigerator, discard the cling wrap and sprinkle with 1 tbs flour.

For a double pie crust, divide the dough into 2 parts - one slightly larger than the other.

Return the smaller pie dough ball to the refrigerator.

Begin working on the larger dough ball.

Begin to roll out the pastry. Using a rolling pin, apply light pressure while rolling outwards from the center of the dough.

Every once in a while you may need to gently lift under the dough with your fingers to make sure it is not sticking. Also, turn the pastry a quarter turn every once in a while so it is rolling out uniformly. As the edges fray, pinch with finger and continue rolling.

Once in a while place the baking pan (spring foam or tart pan) to make sure you've rolling a large enough pastry:

If you are using a spring foam pan (like I am) you will need a pastry 1-1/2" large than the diameter of the base.

If you are using a tart pan (preferably one with a pop-up bottom) roll 2-1/4" larger than the diameter of the bottom.

Lift the pastry off the bottom and wrap around the rolling pin. Pull the spring foam/tart pan closer to you and drape the pastry over it as best you can.

OR

If the pie crust seems a little too fragile to lift off or if you're getting the jitters, try this fool proof method -

Separate the sides of the spring foam pan from the base. Place the over the rolled crust just to make sure your have an idea of the center. Gently life the polled crust and insert the base under the rolled crust.

Fold the sides on the pastry into the base. Attach the sides and lift the sides up.

Adjust the pastry so it is more or less in the center of the pan. Mold the pastry to the sides of the pan.

Using 2 fingers gently press the sides of the pastry to the sides of the pan. Using a knife, trim the edges of the pastry in straight line.

Now that the pastry is sitting pretty in the pan (don't fret it'll be fine)

Refrigerate while preparing the filling and you are ready for the next step.

Cook's Note - I want to draw your attention to the fact that I have used only 1-2 tbs sugar (not 3/4 cups as some recipes call for) - this is very important point - the more sugar you put in the pastry the harder the handling because softer the dough which is why most of us have had our share of pastry disaster stories.

Recipe for

Pate Sucree, Pasta Frolla, Sweet Pastry dough

Makes a double layer pie crust (11")

Shopping list

2-1/2 cup all-purpose flour

2 stick (115 gms) cold butter, unsalted

2 egg

1/4 tsp salt

about 3-4 tbs ice cold water

2 tbs sugar

OR

Makes 1 single layer tart (11")

Shopping list

1-1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1 stick (115 gms) cold butter, unsalted

1 egg

1/8 tsp salt

1-1/2 tbs to 2 tbs ice cold water

1 tbs sugar

Preparation

Dough -

In a food processor fitted with a metal blade, add all-purpose flour, cold butter (from refrigerator) cut into 8 slabs, 1 tbs sugar, egg yolks and 2 tbs chilled (from refrigerator) water.

Knead for 25 seconds till a ball has formed. If in 25 seconds the mix is still crumbly & a dough ball has not formed, add 1/2 tbs chilled water and knead again for 25 seconds till a dough ball has formed.

Flatten dough ball between palms, wrap it in cling wrap and refrigerate for 10-15 minutes till it is cold (this will make it easier to roll out) Remove from the refrigerator, discard the cling wrap and sprinkle with 1 tbs flour.

For a double pie crust, divide the dough into 2 parts - one slightly larger than the other. Return the smaller pie dough ball to the refrigerator.

Begin to roll out the pastry. Using a rolling pin, apply light pressure while rolling outwards from the center of the dough.

Every once in a while you may need to gently lift under the dough with your fingers to make sure it is not sticking. Also, turn the pastry a quarter turn every once in a while so it is rolling out uniformly. As the edges fray, pinch with finger and continue rolling.

Once in a while place the baking pan (spring foam or tart pan) to make sure you've rolling a large enough pastry:

If you are using a spring foam pan (like I am) you will need a pastry 1-1/2" large than the diameter of the base.

If you are using a tart pan (preferably one with a pop-up bottom) roll 2-1/4" larger than the diameter of the bottom.

Lift the pastry off the bottom and wrap around the rolling pin. Pull the spring foam/tart pan closer to you and drape the pastry over it as best you can.

OR

If the pie crust seems a little too fragile to lift off or if you're getting the jitters, try this fool proof method -

Separate the sides of the spring foam pan from the base. Place the over the rolled crust just to make sure your have an idea of the center. Gently life the polled crust and insert the base under the rolled crust.

Fold the sides on the pastry into the base. Attach the sides and lift the sides up to adhere to the sides of the pan.

Adjust the pastry so it is more or less in the center of the pan. Mold the pastry to the sides of the pan.

Mold the pastry to the sides of the pan.

Using 2 fingers gently press the sides of the pastry to the sides of the pan. Using a knife, trim the edges of the pastry in straight line. If using a tart pan, trim the edges using the edge of the tart pan as a guide.

The sugar pastry tart is now ready for the next step. Refrigerate while preparing the filling.

Rustic Pear Tart with Cranberry, Almond & Butterscotch drizzle

There was no question in my mind when I woke up this morning that today was the just the day  to bake a rustic pear tart. And here's why - I was going to make some brioche dough  anyway  because I always like to keep some ready in my refrigerator for when inspiration strikes (it will stay good refrigerated for 14 days) Secondly,  in the bottom drawer of my  refrigerator sits some dried cranberries and sliced almonds which are always delicious together. Gruyere cheese would have been nice ...but enhh....

And having walked to the farmers market yesterday and picked up some ripe Bosc pears, I now have both the ability and the inclination to bake a tart.

Why rustic? Well, because with brioche dough, there's no need for all the fuss that goes with a sugar tart {pate sucree } I mean don't get me wrong, I love a good sugar tart with the right fruit on the right day with the right company. But its a weekday and its winter & its raining cats & dogs so I'm looking for a way to cook fruit and nuts together in an uncomplicated, delicious, family friendly fashion - which brings us to a rustic pear tart!

What are weeknights for if not for warm fruit tart and board games? (right after homework, spelling tests, dinner, dishes & nightly reading....sigh...)

Now for those of you who don't have leftover brioche dough in the fridge - my first suggestion is to always keep some brioche dough at hand in the refrigerator - it's so good for cinnamon rolls and stuffed bread, brioche braids and dinner rolls and tarts and hamburger buns and......well I could go on & on & on.....

Secondly, this recipe is for 2 lbs worth of dough and we are using 1/2 lb for this recipe so you'll have extra leftover dough in the refrigerator (which I emphasize once again will be good for 14 days) - in fact it gets better with time and I promise to post some  'use brioche dough creatively recipes' over the next 2 weeks to keep us all very happy!

I thought about halving the recipe but honestly, I've always used this exact recipe in these proportions and never any other way and with baking, well its temperamental and I don't want to end up with a flop tart  so I'm just not inclined to tinker with what works! Sounds a bit kooky I'm sure but there's the truth. Also, for those in doubt, you will recall a previous mention of the fact that 'I'm a cook to dares to bake'...so I am allowed to have kooky rules when it comes to baking  ...smiles....

If you are making the brioche dough from scratch, this is what you'll need -

To begin this task,  recruit a large mixing bowl or container or  paraat , large enough to mix and knead the brioche dough.

Assemble the ingredients - warm water, dry active yeast, sugar, honey, salt, eggs and copious amounts of melted butter ( 1 1/2 sticks or 6 oz). 

Cook's Note - I do not recommend using electric kitchen appliances for this one. I tried that once and went back to hand kneading quickly - it just didn't look right.

 

Put 3/4 cup warm water (110 deg F) into a bowl, add sugar and dissolve.  Empty the contents of 1 packet dry and active yeast into it. Stir. Proof the yeast & if it is active it will look something like this in about 10 minutes. If it doesn't, it means it is dead and a trip to the grocers is warranted.

Pool the flour into the utensil. Add the yeast water, salt, eggs, honey and melted butter.

 

With washed and  clean hands, work and knead the dough. (Wow! look how nice these pics turned out!)

 

 

No doubt about it - brioche dough is a soft gooey dough and I had to fight the urge  to empty another cup of flour into this goopy mess

Be  rest assured, this goop is what we want. The more flour you add to this soft dough, tougher the bread/tart pastry you will end up with.

Cover with a moist cheesecloth (or a cotton cloth) and set aside to rise in a warm place for 2 hours.The dough should now look swollen like the image on the right.

At this point transfer into a container with a lid, not air tight, and transfer to the refrigerator. Once the dough has chilled (1 hr minimum, 2-3 hours is great, overnight is aawessome) and it is ready for use.

Separate the dough into 2 balls of about 1 lb each. Set aside one 1 lb ball for future use in the refrigerator in a container that has a lid (but is not air tight) - then separate the 1 lb dough ball into equal parts. If you are baking only 1 tart, then return the other 1/2 lb  dough ball to container in the refrigerator. Please use a kitchen scale if you have it - eyeballing only gets you so far!

 Move 1 rack to the lower third of the oven. Preheat the oven to 400 deg F.

  

Place the chilled dough ball on a clean working surface  and liberally sprinkle flour all over the dough ball.  Flatten the dough into a patty & using a rolling pin roll out the pastry to as thin as possible.

Cook's Note - This is different to what we'd do with a sugar tart but because this is essentially a bread dough &  it won't be nice to have a thick pizza base type crust so I roll this out quite thin - about 1/8" thickness if not a little thinner.

  

Spray a non-stick spring foam pan with baking spray. Keep placing the pan time & again on the rolled out pastry to make sure that the pastry sheet is large enough to cover the base + give about an inch all around for draping. 

Cook's Note - Roll uniformly in the center and the sides as well - generally you'll find the center will be quite thin and the side will be thick so make it a point to also roll out the sides as well.

 

Place the pastry sheet in the non-stick spring foam pan. Shift the sheet around a bit so it is generally centered to the pan.  Gently press down the bottom & sides so the pastry in sitting into the pan & press the sides to the side of the pan as well.

Cook's Note -  This pastry sheet is not as delicate as a sugar tart dough so I did not need any flour during rolling nor was it difficult to pick up and place the pastry sheet in the pan. Pierce all around with a fork and set aside while you prepare the fruit. There is no need to refrigerate.

Butterscotch drizzle -

 

On medium heat, in a small saucepan, dissolve the brown sugar in water  stirring as needed. Add the cream and whisk.

 

The process of making the butterscotch drizzle takes about 30 minutes. Whisk regularly as it begins to thicken. When it is finally done, it will be a nice light caramel brown with a consistency thinner than condensed milk but thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.

While the butterscotch is cooking, proceed with the pears & topping, all the while keeping an eye on the butterscotch.

Pears & topping -

  

The main ingredient for the filling and topping are - Bosc pears, dried cranberries, sliced almonds, cinnamon powder, nutmeg powder, condensed milk, butter,  & brown sugar. 

In a microwave safe bowl, place the dried cranberries and sliced almonds in a bowl. Top with the butter, brown sugar, nutmeg & cinnamon powders.

 

Microwave the topping for about 1 minute. You can also stir this on a stove top till the butter melts.

Using a teaspoon, core the pears. Cut and discard the tops and bottom knob. Also remove any 'stickers' on the fruit. Thinly slice the pears a little thicker than 1/8" but thinner than 1/4" (i.e. 3/16th of an inch - I told you I was trained as an Architect...smiles....) Also, there is no need to peel the pears.

     

With a pastry brush the condensed milk over the pastry base. Begin placing the pears radially, with the thin tapering edge pointing toward the center.

  

   
Keep placing the pears in the pan till the outer ring is done. Begin the inner ring overlapping the outer ring if necessary. Since I used a 1o" spring foam pan, I only needed 2 rings to cover the base. PS - Don't fuss with it - it'll be fine - it doesn't have to 'Monk' accurate!

 

Drizzle the butterscotch over the pears. Spoon the topping over the pears and spread evenly. Drizzle some more of the butterscotch over the cranberry-almond topping.

Fold the edges of the pastry over the pears. so you have a 1" pastry edge to the tart.

Whisk an egg with 1 tbs cold water.

With a pastry brush, wash the pastry edge with the egg.

Place the tart in a preheated oven & bake for 30 minutes. Do not open the oven door during the baking process. And this is what you'll end up with .....

 

Allow the tart to cool before serving. You can serve it warm with some more of the butterscotch drizzle & vanilla ice cream. Yum!

The flavors of the pears with the butterscotch works very nicely together. The cranberry & almonds add a nice crunch and tartness . The pastry base is flaky and not at all bread like. I really enjoyed making this and Mr. Hubby & the kids loved it.

However for me, having it sit on the table is a lot like having Lorelei  sitting on your table - you know, one of the beautiful Rhine maidens who, legend has it, lured navigators of the river to their dooms with their alluring singing, much like the siren calls of ancient Greek myth.

Well, for the sake of my weight loss & sanity, this siren got covered with aluminum foil to mute her calls! Thank you very much!

Recipe for

RUSTIC PEAR TART WITH A CRANBERRY-ALMOND TOPPING & BUTTERSCOTCH DRIZZLE

Makes 1 - 11" pie crust

Preparation time - 20 minutes

Dough rise time - 3 hours

Baking time- 30 minutes

Shopping list

Brioche dough -

4 cups all purpose flour

3/4 warm water (110 deg F)

1 packet dry active yeast

1-1/2 tbs white sugar

1/2 tsp salt

4 eggs

 1 1/2 sticks or 6 oz butter, melted

Egg wash-

1 egg

1 tbs cold water

Pear filling -

3 Bosc pears

2 tbs condensed milk

Cranberry-Almond topping-

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1/4 cup light brown sugar

1/2 tsp cinnamon powder

1/4 tsp nutmeg powder

2 tbs butter

Butterscotch topping-

1/4 cup light brown sugar

1/4 cup water

1/4 cup heavy cream

OR

1 jar ready made, store bought butterscotch topping (if u must)

Preparation - 

Brioche dough -

Yeast - In the warm water, add the white sugar and dissolve. Pour the contents of the dry active yeast and stir. Set aside for 10 minutes, till frothy.

Dough - In a large mixing bowl or container with a lid, gather the flour. Add the warm yeast water,  honey, salt, eggs and  melted butter. With washed and  clean hands work and knead the dough well (the brioche dough is a soft gooey dough)

Cover with a moist cheesecloth and set aside to rise in a warm place for 2 hours.The dough should now look swollen.

Transfer to the refrigerator. Once the dough has chilled (at least 1 hr) it is ready for use.

Separate the dough into 2 balls of about 1 lb each. Set aside one 1 lb ball for future use in the refrigerator in a container that has a lid but is not air tight - then separate the 1 lb dough ball into equal parts, returning the other 1/2 lb  dough ball to refrigerator if you are baking only 1 tart.

Place the chilled dough ball on a clean working surface  and liberally sprinkle flour all over the dough ball.  Flatten the dough into a patty & using a rolling pin roll out the pastry to as thin as possible, a little less than 1/8" thickness.

Spray a non-stick spring foam pan with baking spray. Keep placing the pan time & again on the rolled out pastry to make sure that the pastry sheet is large enough to cover the base + give about an inch all around for draping. 

Place the pastry sheet in the non-stick spring foam pan. Shift the sheet around a bit so it is generally centered to the pan.  Gently press down the bottom & sides so the pastry in sitting into the pan & press the sides to the side of the pan as well. Use a fork and pierce the pastry base all around.

Pears - Using a teaspoon, core the pears. Cut and discard the tops and bottom knob. Also remove any 'stickers' from the fruit. Do not peel. Thinly slice the pears a little thicker than 1/8" but thinner than 1/4" (i.e. about 3/16th of an inch)

Egg wash - Whisk an egg with 1 tbs cold water.

Cooking method -

Preheat oven to 400 deg F.

Topping - In a microwave safe bowl, place the dried cranberries and sliced almonds in a bowl. Top with the butter, brown sugar, nutmeg & cinnamon powders.

Microwave the topping for about 1 minute. You can also stir this on a stove top till the butter melts.

Butterscotch drizzle -

On medium heat, in a small saucepan, dissolve the brown sugar in water  stirring as needed. Add the cream and whisk.

The whole process of making the butterscotch drizzle takes about 30 minutes. Whisk regularly as it begins to thicken. When it is finally done, it will be a nice light caramel brown with a consistency thinner than condensed milk but thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.

Assembling the tart - With a pastry brush the condensed milk over the pastry base. Begin placing the pears radially, with the thin tapering edge pointing toward the center.

Keep placing the pears radially in the pan till the outer ring is done. Begin the inner ring overlapping the outer ring if necessary. 

Drizzle the butterscotch over the pears. Spoon the topping over the pears and spread evenly. Drizzle some more of the butterscotch over the cranberry-almond topping.

Fold the edges of the pastry over the pears. so you have a 1" pastry edge to the tart.

With a pastry brush, wash the pastry edge with the egg.

Baking method -

Place the tart in a preheated oven & bake for 30 minutes. Do not open the oven door during the baking process.

Allow the tart to cool completely on a baking rack.

Serve warm or cool.

Enjoy!