Ming says: This basic pastry dough will enable you to make a pie, a quiche, and even rolls any time you need 'em. You can make it by hand or even in the food processor in the blink of an eye. It is very versatile and can be used with both savory and sweet recipes.
Makes about 4 9- to 10-inch pies
- 1 pound cake flour
- 1 pound bread flour
- 1/4 ounce salt
- 1/4 ounce sugar
- 1 pound butter
- 8 ounces water
- 4 egg yolks
- In a large bowl, combine flours, salt and sugar. Cut in butter and mix until crumbly/sandy texture is achieved. Add water and eggs and mix until just combined. Remove dough from bowl, form into a ball, cover with plastic wrap and chill for 1 hour before using.
- To blind bake shells, roll out dough to just under 1/4-inch thick and let rest, covered with plastic, at least 1 hour, preferably overnight. To bake, dock the pastry. This can be done by piercing all over with a fork. Cut a piece large enough so when pressed into the pie tin, you have a 1-inch overhang to allow for shrinkage. Preheat oven to 325° for a convection oven (350°F for a standard oven).
MING'S TIP
Place the cut pastry in the tin, place another tin inside and bake upside down, with a little weight like a sheet tray on the tins. This keeps the sides from shrinking. Bake for about 15 to 20 minutes to allow pastry to set. Remove sheet tray, remove top tin, then place sheet tray back on and bake 5 minutes more until golden. Flip shell so it is right side up and place into the first tin to continue baking the inside, for about 5 minutes. When nice and golden all around, place on a rack to cool before filling.
>>Use this Master Recipe in
Asparagus Parmesan Pastry Rolls by guest Chef Sara Moulton.
>>This recipe appears in
Episode #318.
>> For additional recipes and more, visit
www.ming.com
