The Essential James Beard Cookbook (71 page)

Heat the currant jelly in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over moderate heat until it comes to the boiling point; add 1 tablespoon of the kirsch and let it cool slightly. Brush the bottom of the cooled pastry shell with 1 to 2 tablespoons of the currant glaze.

Arrange the strawberries, tips up, in the pastry shell, building from the sides toward the center. You may make a double layer in the center to give a feeling of elevation. Spoon the warm currant glaze over the berries. Beat the heavy cream and remaining kirsch together in a bowl with an electric beater until the cream is stiff. Remove the sides of the pan. Serve the tart with the kirsch-flavored whipped cream.

LARD PIE PASTRY

MAKES ENOUGH PASTRY FOR ONE 9-INCH DOUBLE-CRUST PIE OR TWO 9-INCH PIES

The old-fashioned method of using lard in piecrust instead of butter is one I favor, as the result is much flakier and tenderer. The purer the lard, the better. Buy leaf lard (pork kidney fat); this is the best lard you can use. To render the lard, cut up a 3- or 4-pound piece of the leaf fat and render it (let it melt slowly) in a shallow pan in a 300°F oven, pouring off the fat as it melts and transferring it to a jar. When all the fat is rendered and only the crispy bits of crackling remain, chill the fat in the refrigerator until firm and set.

2½ cups all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon plain salt

¾ cup chilled leaf lard, cut into ½-inch cubes

About
¹
⁄
₃
cup plus 1 tablespoon ice water

Mix the flour and salt in a large bowl. Add the lard and cut it into the flour with 2 knives or a pastry blender just until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal; the texture will not be uniform but will contain crumbs and bits and pieces. Sprinkle water over the flour mixture, a tablespoon at a time, and mix lightly with a fork, using only enough water so the pastry holds together when pressed lightly into a ball. Divide the dough into 2 balls. (If you are making a double-crust pie, make one ball slightly larger than the other.) Wrap each in plastic wrap and refrigerate 30 minutes or more. [
Editor: The dough can be refrigerated overnight, or frozen for up to 1 month. Defrost the frozen dough overnight in the refrigerator before using.
]

VARIATION

PLAIN PIE PASTRY:
If you prefer not to use lard, substitute 12 tablespoons (1½ sticks) cold unsalted butter or 6 tablespoons each cold unsalted butter and vegetable shortening, cut into ½-inch cubes, for the lard.

Editor: Lard can mean both raw pork fat and rendered pork fat, and Beard uses the same word for both. Raw pork fatback (used to make pâté and rillettes) can occasionally be found at supermarkets, but raw leaf lard is only available at artisan butchers. Leaf lard is preferred for rendering because it is harder than fatback; lard made from fatback can be too soft and make greasy pastry. You can purchase rendered leaf lard fat at D’Angelo Bros. in Philadelphia (
www.dangelobros.com
) and Dietrich’s Meats in Krumsville, Pennsylvania (
www.dietrichsmeats.com
).

RICH TART PASTRY

MAKES ONE 9-INCH PIE OR TART SHELL

This classic French pastry dough,
pâte brisée
, can be prepared well in advance and refrigerated or frozen. The dough, formed into a ball, is wrapped airtight in waxed paper, plastic wrap, or aluminum foil, or it may be rolled out, fitted into a pie or tart pan, covered, and stored either unbaked or partially or fully baked, according to your needs.

1¾ cups sifted all-purpose flour

¼ teaspoon plain salt

2 tablespoons sugar (optional, for dessert pastry only)

8 tablespoons (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes

2 tablespoons ice water

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 large egg yolk

Put the flour and salt in a mixing bowl (add the sugar if you are making a sweet pastry). Make a well in the center and put the butter in the well. Work the butter and flour together quickly with the fingertips (do not let the warm palms of your hands come near pastry—they cause the butter to soften, melt, and become very difficult to work with) until the mixture forms small, flaky granules, like oatmeal. Mix the ice water, lemon juice, and egg yolk together in a small bowl. Gradually stir in enough of the liquid mixture to make a dough that holds together when pressed.

Cupping your hands tightly, gather the dough into a rough ball, pulling in any crumbs from the sides and bottom of the bowl. The dough should feel moist but not sticky. If it seems too sticky, sprinkle with 2 to 3 teaspoons flour and blend in; if it feels dry, sprinkle with a few drops of water and knead in. Turn the dough out onto a board. Break off small pieces, about 2 to 3 tablespoons each, and smear them across the board by pushing hard with the heel of your hand. This process, called the
fraisage
, ensures the complete blending of the butter and flour. When all the dough has been worked this way, gather it together with a pastry scraper or spatula, form it into a ball, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill for 30 minutes, or until firm, but not so firm that it cracks at the edges when rolled out. (The dough can also be frozen for up to 4 weeks. Defrost the dough in the refrigerator overnight. Let stand for a few minutes at room temperature before rolling out.)

To roll out the pastry: Select as cool a surface as possible: a marble slab is ideal, but a countertop almost as well, as long as it is in a cool part of the kitchen. If the dough gets too warm, the butter melts and the pastry becomes extremely difficult to work with. To prevent this, work as quickly as possible on a cool surface. Roll the pastry out on the lightly floured marble slab or other smooth surface. Rub the rolling pin lightly with flour and begin by flattening the ball of dough into a disk. Starting in the center of the dough, roll in one direction, not back and forth, smoothly, evenly, and quickly, rotating the pastry a quarter-turn each time and stopping just short of the edge so that you get a fairly even round. While rolling, lift the pastry occasionally to see if it is sticking to the board; if it is, sprinkle the board lightly with flour. Also flour the rolling pin if the pastry is sticking to it. Roll the pastry out about
¹
⁄
₈
inch thick, until you have a circle 11 to 12 inches in diameter, or large enough to fit into a 9-inch pie or tart pan without skimping. There should be a little overhang at the edge of the pan. To check, hold the pan over the rolled-out pastry and gauge with your eye. Use this method of gauging the size of your pastry whatever type of pan you are using.

Another good way to roll out a rich pastry such as this is between sheets of waxed paper: roll smoothly and evenly, and turn dough over often. With every turn, loosen the top paper to prevent it from sticking to the dough and wrinkling.

To line a pie or tart pan: The method for lining a removable-bottom tart pan or standard pie pan is much the same. If the dough has been rolled on a board, roll it loosely but carefully over the rolling pin, lift, then unroll carefully over the pan. Lift the edges of the dough and let it fall gently into place, patting it lightly into the bottom, without forcing or stretching it. If the pastry is stretched, it will shrink during baking. Press it snugly into the sides.

If the dough has been rolled between sheets of waxed paper, remove the top sheet, slip one hand under the bottom sheet, and lift up the rolled dough, inverting it over the pan. Lift the edges of the dough and let it fall gently into place in the mold or pan without forcing or stretching it. Peel off the waxed paper and let the dough sink into place in the mold, then pat it snugly into place.

Trim the pastry edges with a sharp knife or scissors, allowing an overlap of about ¼ to ½ inch—you need the excess because the pastry will shrink. For a pie, crimp the edges of the pastry by pinching it between two fingers, making a firm edge. For a tart pan, using the flat of a paring knife, press the dough gently against the sides in an even pattern so it adheres. Be sure the pastry is pushed well (without being stretched) into the fluted sides of the pan. Also be certain it is completely sealed and free of cracks or the filling will run out of the bottom.

Should the pastry break while you are lining the mold or pan (this can happen, as this short pastry is very fragile), don’t worry. Just patch it by pressing the broken edges together with your fingertips. Patch any holes in the pastry with some of the trimmings.

If the pastry shell is to be baked and has become quite soft after rolling and fitting into the mold or pan, refrigerate or freeze it for 10 to 15 minutes, until firm.

To bake a pastry shell: Baking an unfilled tart shell is called “baking blind.” Prick the dough lightly, line the shell with aluminum foil, weigh it down with raw rice or dried beans (they may be kept in a jar and used repeatedly), and bake it in a preheated 425°F oven for about 15 minutes, until the bottom is set and the edges lightly browned. Remove the shell from the oven, and remove the lining and weights. If you wish, brush the bottom with beaten egg yolk (or Dijon mustard for a savory tart), and return to the oven and bake until the yolk looks dry, about 2 minutes. This seals the bottom and prevents a soggy crust.

The timing of 14 to 16 minutes and the 2-minute period with the yolk glaze is for a partially baked shell; the pastry will finish cooking when it is baked with its filling. For a fully baked shell, bake it for about 20 minutes, then brush on the egg-yolk glaze and dry out for 2 minutes in the oven.

COOKIES AND BARS

Chinese Chews

Cinnamon Stars

Gino’s Macaroons

Meringue Kisses

Oatmeal Carrot Cookies

Sand Tarts

“Monster” Peanut Butter Cookies

Sugar Cookies

Tuiles

Buñuelos

Blond Brownies

Lemon Meringue Bars

Linzer Bars

CHINESE CHEWS

MAKES ABOUT 30 COOKIES

I have no idea why these are called Chinese Chews, but I’ve been making them for over fifteen years and I’ve yet to find anyone who doesn’t find the combination of flavors irresistible.

2 cups all-purpose flour

½ pound (1 cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 cup packed light or dark brown sugar

For the Topping

1½ cups packed light or dark brown sugar

1 cup coarsely chopped pecans

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon plain salt

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Mix the flour, butter, and brown sugar in a bowl until crumbly, and spread this in a buttered shallow 13 by 9-inch baking pan. Bake in a preheated 300°F oven for 10 minutes, until the edges are set, then remove from the oven.