[Sca-cooks] pastry recipe

[Terry Decker]

The recipe is edible.  Ivan Day makes some exquisite pastry shells and I 
would definitely recommend you check out his website.  For a range of 
recipes, check the Florilegium.  A number of years ago I posted some 
comments (appended) about working with this recipe you may find of use.

Bear

Date: Sun, 8 Aug 1999 13:10:15 -0500

From: "Decker, Terry D." <TerryD at Health.State.OK.US>

Subject: RE: SC - Hot water pie crust



> Has anyone (Bear, for instance?) tried the hot water method for making pie 
> crust mentioned in Sabina Welserin?



I've made the fat and hot water dough in recipe 61 a couple of times, using 
a 1/4 cup of butter to 1/4 cup of water.  I've made it with all purpose 
flour and with cake flour, but I used them different ways so there is no 
real comparison as to which works best.  The cake flour requires more flour 
and does not get as stiff as the all purpose flour.

For the latest experiment, I used 2 cups of cake flour sifted with 1 
teaspoon of salt and 2 eggs mixed into it.  After which,1/4 cup of butter in 
1/4 cup of water brought to a boil then removed from the stove and the 
butter allowed to melt was added and stirred in. The resulting dough was 
then worked with additional flour until smooth.

Unchilled, I found the dough to be a little sticky, needing a well floured 
surface for rolling.  After 30 minutes in the refrigerator the dough was 
easy to handle and rolled out well on a lightly floured surface.

Rolled thin, it is a nice dough for Krapfen.  I used it with Sabina 
Welserin's recipe for Shrove Tuesday doughnuts (173).  It fries well.

As a tart shell, I pre-baked it and found it to be a little tough and 
over-done.  The next time I will not pre-bake.  I found the dough superior 
to the egg, flour and water pie shells I have experimented with previously.

I too would like to try this with lard, although I will probably make it 
with meat broth from lamb shanks first.

Bear



----- Original Message ----- 

Hello,
I am doing a german lunch tavern. I have choosen recipies from Sabrina 
Weserlin. I have chosen a couple of the tart recipies because I will have 
limited kitchen facilities. The pastry recipies from Weserlin seem strange.

61 To make a pastry dough for all shaped
pies ( from www.daviddfriedman.com)

Take flour, the best that you can get, about two handfuls, depending on
how large or small you would have the pie. Put it on the table and with a 
knife
stir in two eggs and a little salt. Put water in a small pan and a piece of 
fat
the size of two good eggs, let it all dissolve together and boil. Afterwards
pour it on the flour on the table and make a strong dough and work it well,
however you feel is right. If it is summer, one must take meat broth instead 
of
water and in the place of the fat the skimmings from the broth. When the 
dough
is kneaded, then make of it a round ball and draw it out well on the sides 
with
the fingers or with a rolling pin, so that in the middle a raised area 
remains,
then let it chill in the cold. Afterwards shape the dough as I have pointed 
out
to you. Also reserve dough for the cover and roll it out into a cover and 
take
water and spread it over the top of the cover and the top of the formed 
pastry
shell and join it together well with the fingers. Leave a small hole. And 
see
that it is pressed together well, so that it does not come open. Blow in the
small hole which you have left, then the cover will lift itself up. Then 
quickly
press the hole closed. Afterwards put it in the oven. Sprinkle flour in the 
dish
beforehand. Take care that the oven is properly heated, then it will be a 
pretty
pastry. The dough for all shaped pastries is made in this manner.

I have been searching the internet for maybe a Rumpolt recipe that might be 
a richer crust. What is the correct route to take? I am preparing a spinach 
tart with a lid and a game pie. This recipe seems like one that is meant to 
be a shell but not enjoyed. Any suggestions or help?

Jamie