Black Pepper And Sour Cream Pastry Dough Recipes

SOUR CREAM PASTRY

Steps:

• Put the flour and salt in a 3 qt bowl, stir to blend.
• Scatter butter slices over flour and cut in with a pastry blender until the mixture consists of particles that vary in size from small peas to bread crumbs (you can use a food processor for this step).
• Stir in the sour cream with a fork.
• The pastry will appear dry because the sour cream is thick and does not disburse easily.
• With your hands, manipulate the dough into a ball.
• Divide in half, wrap in plastic and refrigerate until cold and firm- at least 4 hours, and up to 3 days or freeze for up to 1 month.

SOUR CREAM PASTRY DOUGH

Steps:

• Cut butter into 1/2-inch cubes.
• To blend by hand:
• In a bowl with your fingertips or a pastry blender blend together flour, butter, and salt until most of mixture resembles coarse meal with remainder in small (roughly pea-size) lumps. Stir in sour cream with a fork just until incorporated. Drizzle 4 tablespoons ice water over mixture and gently stir just until incorporated. Test mixture by gently squeezing a small handful: When it has proper texture it should hold together without crumbling apart. If necessary, add enough remaining water, 1 tablespoon at a time, stirring until incorporated and testing, to give mixture proper texture. (If you overwork mixture or add too much water, pastry will be tough.)
• To blend in a food processor:
• In a food processor pulse together flour, butter, and salt until most of mixture resembles coarse meal with remainder in small (roughly pea-size) lumps. Add sour cream and pulse just until incorporated. Drizzle 4 tablespoons water over mixture and pulse just until incorporated. Test mixture by gently squeezing a small handful: When it has proper texture it should hold together without crumbling apart. If necessary, add enough remaining water, 1 tablespoon at a time, pulsing until incorporated and testing, to give mixture proper texture. (If you overwork mixture or add too much water, pastry will be tough.)
• To form dough after blending by either method:
• Turn mixture out onto a work surface and divide into 4 portions. With heel of hand smear each portion once in a forward motion to help distribute fat. Gather dough together and form it, rotating it on work surface, into a disk. Chill dough, wrapped in plastic wrap, until firm, at least 1 hour, and up to 1 day.

BLACK PEPPER AND SOUR CREAM PASTRY DOUGH

Steps:

• Blend together flour, salt, pepper, sugar, butter, and shortening with your fingertips or a pastry blender until most of mixture resembles coarse meal with remainder in small (roughly pea-size) lumps.
• Stir together sour cream and ice water, then stir into dough with a fork until incorporated. Gather dough into a ball.
• Flatten dough into a 6-inch square on a lightly floured surface. Roll out into a roughly 18- by 6-inch rectangle and fold into thirds (like a letter) to form a 6-inch square.
• Turn dough so an open-ended side is nearest you, then roll out dough into an 18- by 6-inch rectangle again, dusting work surface with flour as necessary. Fold into thirds same as above.
• Repeat rolling and folding 1 more time, then chill dough, wrapped in plastic wrap, at least 1 hour.

CREAM CHEESE PASTRY DOUGH

Steps:

• Process the butter, cream cheese, and cream in a food processor, electric mixer, or by hand to thoroughly combine.
• Add the flour and salt. Process just until combined and the dough holds together in a ball. Turn the dough out onto a well-floured surface. Divide into 2 pieces. Flatten into disks and wrap each in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before rolling out. If the dough is chilled overnight, take it out 15 minutes before rolling out.
• Rub flour all over a rolling pin. Working with one dough disk at a time, place the disk on a clean, well-floured surface. Applying some pressure with the rolling pin, roll gently from the center of the dough to the top and bottom edges. Rotate the disk and roll to the top and bottom edges again. Reflour the work surface and rolling pin, turn the dough over, and continue to roll the dough from the center out to the edges. Turn over and roll again, rotating the disk to ensure even rolling until the dough is about 12 inches in diameter, thin but not transparent.

ASPARAGUS AND GRUYèRE TART

Steps:

• Make crust:
• Roll out pastry dough on a floured surface into a 15 1/2-inch round. Transfer to pizza pan by rolling dough around rolling pin and unrolling it across pan. Trim edge just enough to make even, then fold over and pinch to form a 1/2-inch-high, double-thick side. Prick bottom of shell all over with a fork and chill until firm, at least 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 375°F.
• Line shell with foil and fill with pie weights or raw rice. Bake in middle of oven until sides are firm, about 20 minutes. Remove foil and weights carefully and bake shell until golden, about 10 minutes more, then cool.
• Prepare filling while shell cools:
• Layer asparagus on a steamer rack, sprinkling each layer with kosher salt to taste. Steam, covered, over boiling water until completely tender but not mushy, about 8 minutes for green asparagus or 12 for white, then transfer to a bowl of ice water to stop cooking. Drain well and pat dry with paper towels.
• Whisk together cream, eggs, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, and nutmeg, then season lightly with pepper. Pour custard evenly in tart shell.
• Top filling and bake tart:
• Sprinkle custard with two thirds of cheese, then arrange spears in custard, tips out (like the spokes of a wheel). Sprinkle remaining cheese over top.
• Bake tart in middle of oven until custard is set, about 20 minutes.
• Then broil tart 2 to 3 inches from heat until golden, 1 to 2 minutes.