Category Archives: pie crust

Ottolenghi’s ‘Very Full Tart’ From Plenty by Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Timimi

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1 red bell pepper
1 yellow bell pepper
about 6 Tablespoons olive oil
1 medium eggplant, cut into 2-inch dice
salt and black pepper
1 small sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1-inch dice
1 small zucchini, cut into 1-inch dice
2 medium onions, thinly sliced
2 bay leaves
11 oz pie crust dough
8 thyme sprigs, leaves picked
1/3 cup ricotta
4 1/4 oz feta
7 cherry tomatoes, halved
2 medium eggs
1 cup heavy cream

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Use a small serrated knife to cut around the stem of the peppers and lift it out along with the seeds. Shake the peppers to remove all the remaining seeds; discard the stems and seeds. Place the two peppers in a small ovenproof dish, drizzle with a little oil and put on the top shelf in the oven.

Mix the eggplant in a bowl with 4 tablespoons of olive oil and some salt and pepper. Spread in a large baking pan and place in the oven on the shelf beneath the peppers.

After 12 minutes add the sweet potato dice to the eggplant pan and stir gently. Return to the oven to roast for another 12 minutes. Then add the zucchini to the pan, stir and roast for a further 10 to 12 minutes. At this point the peppers should be brown and the rest of the vegetables cooked. Remove all from the oven and reduce the temperature to 325 degrees. Cover the peppers with foil and cool, then peel and tear roughly into strips.

Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a frying pan on medium heat. Saute the onions with the bay leaves and some salt for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they turn brown, soft and sweet. Remove from the heat, discard the bay leaves and set aside.

Lightly grease a 9-inch loose-bottomed tart pan. Roll out the pie crust dough to a circle roughly 1/8 inch thick and large enough to line the pan, plus extra to hang over the rim. Carefully line the pan with the dough, pressing it into the corners and leaving the excess hanging over the top edge. Line the dough with a large sheet of parchment paper and fill it with pie weights or dried beans. Bake the crust for 30 minutes. Carefully remove the paper with the weights, then bake for 10 to 15 minutes more, or until it turns golden brown. Remove and allow to cool a little.

Scatter the cooked onion over the bottom of the crust and top with the roasted vegetables, arranging them evenly. Scatter half the thyme leaves over. Next, dot the veg with small chunks of both cheeses and then with the tomato halves, cut-side up.

Whisk the eggs and cream in a small bowl with some salt and pepper. Carefully pour this mix into the tart; the top layer of tomatoes and cheese should remain exposed. Scatter the remaining thyme over the top. Place in the oven and bake for 35 to 45 minutes, or until the filling sets and turns golden. Remove and allow to rest for at least 10 minutes before releasing the tart from the pan and serving. Serves 4-6

Roasted Apple, Shallot and Blue Cheese Tart, Melissa Clark

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This sweet and savory apple tart is both substantial and sophisticated. The chewy, pizza-like crust is fortified with three kinds of flour. The topping is a comforting, mellow jumble of sweet roasted apples and shallots scented with thyme and zipped up with pungent blue cheese.

1 (1/4-ounce) envelope active dry yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons)
5 grams sugar (1 teaspoon)
150 grams all-purpose flour (1 1/2 cups), more as needed
55 grams whole wheat flour (1/2 cup)
60 grams fine cornmeal (1/2 cup)
10 grams fine sea salt (2 1/4 teaspoons), more as needed
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, more as needed
2 1/4 pounds apples, cored, quartered and sliced 1/4-inch thick
3/4 pound shallots, peeled, trimmed, and sliced 1/4-inch thick
1/4 teaspoon black pepper, more as needed
5 thyme branches
3/4 cup finely crumbled blue cheese
Flaky sea salt

Place 3/4 cup lukewarm water in a large bowl. Sprinkle yeast and sugar over water. Let stand until frothy, about 5 minutes.

In another large bowl, whisk together both flours, cornmeal and 8 grams (1 3/4 teaspoons) salt. Make a well in center of dry ingredients; stir in yeast mixture and 1/3 cup oil until mixture is combined. If the dough seems dry, add a little more water. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead gently until dough is smooth and elastic, about 7 to 10 minutes. Or, knead in a mixer or food processor fit with the dough blade for 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a lightly oiled bowl and cover loosely with plastic wrap. Allow to rest at room temperature until dough has doubled in volume, about 1 hour.

While dough rises, heat oven to 425 degrees. In a large bowl, toss together apples, shallots, 1/4 cup oil, 2 grams ( 1/2 teaspoon) salt, the black pepper and thyme. Spread onto two large baking sheets. Roast, tossing occasionally, until mixture is tender and golden, about 30 minutes.
Increase oven temperature to 450 degrees. Lightly oil a large rimmed baking sheet. Punch down dough and transfer to baking sheet. Using a rolling pin or your fingers, roll or stretch dough to make an even layer about 3/16-inch thick. Scatter apple-shallot mixture over crust. Scatter cheese on top. Drizzle with oil and season with flaky sea salt and black pepper. Transfer pan to oven and bake until crust is golden brown and cheese is just melted, 17 to 25 minutes. Cool slightly, then cut into squares and serve.

YIELD 12 servings

pie crust

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pie
3 c. flour
1 c. shortening
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. vinegar
3-6 tbsp. ice water

For single crust cut recipe in half and bake @425 for 10-14 min.

pie crust, carla hall

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1 tablespoon Sugar
1/2 teaspoon Table Salt
1/3 cup Water
1/2 pound (2 sticks) cold Unsalted Butter (cut into 1/2-inch dice)
2 1/4 cups All-Purpose Flour (plus more for rolling)

In a small bowl, dissolve the sugar and salt in the water. Refrigerate until very cold, about 30 minutes. During that time, refrigerate your butter, flour, mixer bowl, and paddle, too.

Make sure your butter is cut into 1/2-inch dice. Bigger pieces will make your dough puffy. In the chilled bowl, combine the cold butter and flour. With your hands, toss the butter in the flour until each cube is lightly coated.
With the chilled paddle, beat the flour-butter mixture on low speed to just break up the butter, about 30 seconds.

Add the water mixture all at once and raise the speed to medium-low. Beat just until the dough comes together in big chunks, then immediately turn off the mixer.

Divide the chunks of dough in half and very gently pat each group into a round 1-inch-thick disk. Wrap each tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour, before rolling. You can refrigerate the disks for up to 1 day or freeze for up to 3 months.

Helpful Tips:
1. Make sure that all the ingredients are cold.
2. Mix with your fingertips, not your palms. Fingertips are cool, while your palms are hot.
3. When mixing the flour and butter, pick up some of the flour and butter, squeeze it, and drop it.
4. Make discs with the dough — rather than a ball — so that it is easier to flatten