French Pie Crust Savory (Pate Brisee)

By efriend

French Pie Crust Recipes – Pate Brisee (Savory) & Pate Sucree (Sweet):

Shortcrust Pastry also known as Pate Brisee, has a rich buttery flavor with a crisp and crumbly texture. It’s only slightly sweetened with sugar. If you are looking for a crust that just has a slight sweetness to it this is what you will want to use. It’s best for savory pies, tarts, and quiches.

Sweet Shortcrust Pastry also known as Pate Sucree, is a rich and sweet pastry with a crisp cookie-like texture. It’s perfect for tarts that are filled with fruit or cream, custards, and jams. You can bake it blind and fill it our bake it with a custard.

Note: I’ve always liked pressing my dough into a pan verses rolling it out. If you have problems rolling the dough try the press method.

Ingredients

• 180 grams (1 1/4 cup) of All-purpose flour, sifted
• 100 grams (7 tbsp.) of chilled butter
• 2 tbsp of granulated sugar
• pinch of salt
• 1 egg yolk lightly beaten
• 1-2 tbsp of ice water

Details

Adapted from forthefeast.com

Preparation

Step 1

1. Sift the flour once more with the salt into a large mixing bowl and make a well in the center.

2. Cut the chilled butter into pieces and add it to the flour. Lightly rub the butter into the flour with the tips of your fingers lifting it and letting it sprinkle back down until you have a fine crumb like mixture.

3. Add the sugar to the bowl and stir in using a fork making sure that it is well blended.
Note: If you are making Pate Sucree you will now add the Lemon Zest to the mixture. DO NOT DO THIS FOR PATE BRISEE

4. Next mix the egg yolk with the water until well blended and drizzle it over the mixture stirring continuously with a fork or an icing spatula.

5. You will notice the mixture starting to stick together at this point start to lightly use the hills of your hands pressing the dough together to form a round ball. The swifter you can be the better and easier this ball starts to form.

6. Knead briefly on flour surfaced until smooth.

7. Cover with plastic wrap and chill over night or for at least for 1 hour before you use it.

Note: Let the pastry come back to room temperature and knead again before pressing it out into your pan.

Just A few things when working with Pastry:
1. Pastry will keep in the icebox for 4 – 5 days, tightly covered in plastic wrap.
2. Chilling the pastry before pressing it out will prevent it from burning and shrinking on you in while it’s baking.