Olive Straws

By pattie_d

Use this great recipe for rough puff pastry to make Apple and Passion Fruit Tartlets and Olive Straws -- all three recipes are courtesy of Michel Roux.
The Martha Stewart Show, May Spring 2009
Yield

Ingredients

• All-purpose flour, for work surface
• 13 ounces Rough Puff Pastry
• 15 large green pimento stuffed olives, about 1 1/4 inches long
• 1 medium egg yolk
• 1 tablespoon milk

Preparation

Step 1

On a lightly floured work surface, roll out puff pastry to a 12 1/2-by-6-inch rectangle, about 1/8-inch thick. Using a large sharp knife, cut the rectangle into a 5 1/2-by-6-inch rectangle and a 7-by-6-inch rectangle. Place both rectangles on a baking sheet and transfer to refrigerator; let chill 20 minutes.

Place the 5 1/2-by-6-inch rectangle on a baking sheet. Place 5 olives, end-to-end, in a straight line along the short side of the rectangle, leaving about a 5/8-inch border. Repeat process two more times to make three lines of olives.

In a small bowl, whisk together egg yolk and milk. Brush egg mixture on all exposed spaces between olives. Cover with the 7-by-6-inch rectangle of puff pastry, pressing the whole surface of the dough between the olives firmly with your fingertips. Transfer to refrigerator; let chill 20 minutes.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Using a very sharp knife, trim edges of dough; cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-wide straws. Lay flat-side down on a baking sheet. Transfer to oven and bake until pastry is golden and crisp, 5 to 6 minutes. Transfer straws to a wire rack to cool slightly. Serve warm.

Makes 2 pounds, 10 ounces
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Ingredients

1 pound 2 ounces all-purpose flour, plus more for work surface
1 pound 2 ounces very cold, unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 cup ice-cold water

Directions for Rough Puff Pastry:

Mound flour in center of a large work surface, and make a well in the middle; place butter and salt in well.
Using your fingertips, mix ingredients together in the well. Using the fingertips of your other hand, slowly incorporate flour, beginning with inner rim of well. When cubes of butter have become small pieces and dough is grainy, gradually add ice water until fully incorporated, taking care not to overwork the dough. Roll dough into a ball and wrap with plastic wrap; refrigerate for 20 minutes.

On a lightly floured work surface, roll out dough into a 16-by-8-inch rectangle. Fold the short ends over the middle (like a letter) to make three layers. This is called the first turn.
Give the dough a quarter turn and roll away from you into another 16-by-8-inch rectangle. Fold again into 3 layers; this is called the second turn. Wrap dough in plastic wrap; refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Repeat process in steps 3 and 4 to create the third and fourth turns. Wrap dough in plastic; refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, and up to 3 days, before using. Dough may also be kept, frozen, for up to 4 months.