Basic pie dough
Ingredients
2 1/2 cups flour
3 tablespoons sugar
Pinch of salt
1 egg separated into white and yolk
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup cold butter cut in small cubes
3 tablespoons cold water
If used for savory pie omit the sugar
MIXED BERRIES PIE
For the filling
3 cups berries frozen or fresh
Grated lemon zest
1/2 cup sugar
1 Teaspoon lemon juice
1 Teaspoon cinnamon
2 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons butter
brush the pie for color with
1 egg yolk
A little sugar and if you like also a little cinnamon
To make the pastry:
In a food processor,
Process dry ingredients
Add yolk, cold butter,oil,and pulse until it resembles coarse meal
Add water and mix until the dough forms a ball
Wrap in plastic film,refrigerate to allow the gluten to relax for at least 20 minutes or more
You can refrigerate for 3 days or freeze for later use
For the filling:
In a bowl;
Mix all ingredients, let stand for a few minutes to release the juices
Place in a saucepan, bring to a boil and let cook for a few min at medium heat until it looks glossy and thickens
Let cool
Preheat oven to 350*
Divide the dough in 2
Roll out half the dough into a 3/8 inch thick circle
Line the pie plate and cover with the egg white, remove excess egg white
Fill with cooled fruit mixture and cover with the rest of the dough
Tuck the ends into the bottom shell and seal the edges
Poke with a knife for steam to escape
Brush with a mixture of egg yolk and a little milk to give it color
Sprinkle some sugar and if you wish cinnamon
Bake in a preheated
oven for 45 min or until you can see the filling thicken and the pie golden
Enjoy with ice cream
PERUVIAN EMPANADAS
2 1/2 OR 3 CUPS OF FLOUR
1 TABLESPOONS SUGAR
1 CUP COLD BUTTER cut in small cubes
3 TABLESPOONS OLIVE OIL
1 EGG
PINCH OF SALT
2 OR 3 TABLESPOONS COLD WATER
1 EGG YOLK AND A LITTLE MILK TO VARNISH
POWDER SUGAR TO SPRINKLE EMPANADAS ONCE COOL AND OUT OF OVEN
To make the pastry:
In a food processor,
Process dry ingredients
Add egg ,cold butter,oil,and pulse until it resembles coarse meal
Add water and mix until the it forms a ball
Wrap in plastic film,refrigerate to allow the gluten to relax for at least 20 minutes or more
You can refrigerate for 3 days or freeze for later use
Preheat oven to 350*
For the filling:
1/2 pound ground beef
Olive oil
1/2 a medium size red or white onion
3 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon oregano
1/2 cup red wine
Salt and pepper to taste
Optional :
1 Sautéed mushrooms
1/2 cup peppers chopped finely
To prepare the filling:
Chop the onion and garlic finely
In a saucepan heat the oil add
the onion and garlic
sauté until translucent and golden brown
(At this point you may add the peppers and cook for a few minutes)
Finally add the meat sauté for a few minutes until cooked
Add wine let evaporate
Add cumin and oregano
Let cook a few minutes to mix all flavors
-At this point if you chose mushrooms you may add them-
Let cool until you put together the dough to make each empanada
You can prepare a day ahead and refrigerate
Optional:
3 Hard boiled eggs cut into 1/4
Dark Peruvian olives cut in 2( buy at whole foods)
Preheat oven 350*
To put together empanadas :
On a clean surface sprinkle some flour and
Prepare a baking tray, cover it with a thin layer of butter and sprinkle flour over it
On a clean surface sprinkle flower and spread ½ the dough with a rolling pin
Cut dough with a cookie cutter cut round circles of about 3 or 4 inches depending on the empanada size you wish to prepare
Fill every circle with a spoon full of the meat preparation
If you choose to add the egg and olive this would be the moment
fold and seal the seams well
Glaze completely the empanada with egg yolk and milk for gloss and color
Place on cookie sheet and bake for at least 20 to 30 minutes depending on the size you chose
Remove from oven and sprinkle with powdered sugar
Serve warm
APPLE STRUDEL
4 LARGE COOKING APPLES
½ CUP SUGAR
½ SEEDLESS RAISINS
½ CUP WALNUTS OR PECANS CHOPPED
½ TEASPOON CINNAMON
¼ TEASPOON GROUND NUTMEG
PINCH OF SALT
ABOUT A ¼ CUP DRIED BREAD CRUMBS
½ PACKAGE FRESH OR FROZEN (THAWED) PHYLLO SHEETS
½ A CUP BUTTER
CONFECTIONERY SUGAR
PREPARATION
Preheat oven 375*
Grease a large cookie sheet
Peele apples and slice
In a large bowl toss apples with
Sugar, raisins,walnuts, cinnamon nutmeg and salt with ½ cup breadcrumbs
Cut 2 – 24 inch lengths of waxed paper overlap 2 long sides about 2 inches, fasten with tape
On the waxed paper arrange the 1 sheet of phyllo dough (should be 17 by 12 and If necessary trim overlap small pieces of phyllo to make it this size)
Brush with some melted butter
Sprinkle the phyllo with a little breadcrumbs
Continue doing this process with the rest of the phyllo sheets
Starting along 1 long side of phyllo rectangle spoon the apple mixture to about ½ inch from edges to cover about half the phyllo rectangle
From apple mixture side roll phyllo jelly roll fashion using waxed paper to help lift roll
Place roll on cookie sheet, seam side down
Brush with remaining margarine and sprinkle with a little sugar
Bake 40 min or until golden
Cool on cookie sheet 30 min
Serve with ice cream
ASPARAGUS STRUDEL
¾ pound asparagus
2 ½ sticks butter
2 medium size leeks
1 tablespoon chopped shallots
½ pound cheese (Gruyère, or cheddar, or gouda or half any of the above and half mozzarella) grated
½ cup sliced toasted almonds
3 eggs
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons chopped chives
1 teaspoon salt
Fresh ground pepper and salt
½ teaspoon paprika
12 leaves phyllo dough
Preparation:
Preheat oven 350*
Blanch asparagus in a large pot of boiling water for3 minutes
Drain and pat dry -place in a bowl
Saute leeks with shallots in 4 tablespoons of the butter- add to the bowl of asparagus
Add remaining ingredients except
-Phyllo and remaining butter-
Cut 2 – 24 inch lengths of waxed paper overlap 2 long sides about 2 inches, fasten with tape
On the waxed paper arrange the 1 sheet of phyllo dough (should be 17 by 12 and If necessary trim overlap small pieces of phyllo to make it this size)
Brush with some melted butter
Sprinkle the phyllo with a little breadcrumbs
Continue doing this process with the rest of the phyllo sheets
Starting along 1 long side of phyllo rectangle spoon the asparagus mixture to about ½ inch from edges to cover about half the phyllo rectangle
From asparagus mixture side roll phyllo jelly roll fashion using waxed paper to help lift roll
Place roll on cookie sheet, seam side down
Brush with remaining margarine and sprinkle with a little sugar
Bake 40 min or until golden
Cool on cookie sheet 30 min