Recipe - Pate Brisee (Pie Pastry)

2 cup Plain flour
One half cup Unsalted butter
2 Egg yolks
1 teaspoon Salt
5 One half tablespoon Cold water (up to 6)

Sift flour onto a pastry board, cloth or dough bowl and make a large well
in the center. Pound butter to soften slightly or have at room temperature.
Place butter, egg yolks, salt and smaller amount of water in the well and
work together with the fingertips of one hand until partly mixed. Gradually
work in flour, pulling dough into large crumbs using the fingertips of both
hands. If the crumbs are dry, sprinkle over a Tbsp more water. Press dough
firmly together it should be soft but not sticky. Work on a lightly
floured board, pushing dough away with the heel of the hand and gathering
it up with a dough scraper until smooth and pliable. Press dough into a
ball. Wrap in foil or plastic wrap and shill for 30 minutes. It can be
stored tightly wrapped in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Roll Pastry to
about 1/4" thickness in a rectangular shape. Place pastry on an oiled
baking sheet. Crimp edges of pastry if desired. Beat an egg yolk with a
pinch of salt and brush over the entire pastry. This is called "egg
glazing" and helps the filling adhere to the pastry. Prick pastry with a
fork in several places to prevent bubbles from forming while baking.

Recipe by: Homemade Good News (Vol 3 No 7) Posted to EATL Digest 02 Apr 97
by Sean Coate swcoate@PEGANET.COM on Apr 3, 1997