Pie and Pastry Bible (94 page)

Make the dough (page 41 or 39 or 24).

MAKE THE FILLING

In a small bowl, place the optional raisins with 1 tablespoon of water and allow them to sit for at least 20 minutes; drain.

Heat a medium skillet over low heat until hot. Add the lard or oil and the onions, sprinkle with the sugar, and fry the onions, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes or until they become deep golden. Add the garlic and sprinkle with the paprika and cumin. Cook, stirring constantly, for about 2 minutes, just to bring out the flavor of the spices without burning them. Add the ground beef and sprinkle with the salt, pepper, chili powder, thyme, and oregano. Raise the heat to medium and cook, stirring often, for 3 to 5 minutes or until the meat is no longer pink.

Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the optional drained raisins and chopped olives. Allow the filling to cool to room temperature. (It must not be warm when placed on the dough, or it will soften the pastry.) To speed cooling, you can transfer it to a baking sheet or piece of aluminum foil laid on the counter.

SHAPE THE EMPANADAS

I prefer to roll the dough rounds one at a time so that there is no need to reroll the scraps.

Process the whole wheat flour for a few minutes in a food processor with the metal blade.

Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces (1.6 ounces/46 grams each). Work with one piece at a time and keep the rest refrigerated. On a counter well floured with the whole wheat flour, or between two sheets of plastic wrap well floured with the whole wheat flour, roll the piece of dough into a circle about 1/16 inch thick and large enough to cut out a 6-inch circle. Use a template and a sharp knife to cut out the circle.
Alternatively,
roll the dough into a large rectangle or, working with half the dough at a time, 2 large rectangles, and cut out 6-inch circles. Then lay the scraps side by side, slightly overlapping and in a few layers. Roll them between plastic wrap, folding the piece of dough in thirds like a business letter, and cut out more circles; you should have 12 in all. Refrigerate the dough for at least 15 minutes before you shape the empanadas.

Transfer each dough circle to the bottom end of a 9-inch-long piece of plastic wrap. Brush the bottom half of it with the egg white. Spoon 3 tablespoons of the filling onto this section, leaving a 1-inch border. Using the plastic wrap if the dough is at all sticky, fold the top part of the dough over the fruit, so that the edges are flush. With your fingers, firmly press the 1-inch border to seal it. Fold the edge up over itself, a little at a time, pleating it as you go and pressing again to seal it. (There is no need to cut vents, because the filling is precooked, so there will be no steam or bubbling juices to burst the seams of the empanadas.)

Lap the top piece of plastic wrap over the dough and lift the empanada onto the baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining empanadas and refrigerate them for at least 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 425°F. at least 20 minutes before baking. Set an oven rack at the middle level and place a baking stone or inverted baking sheet on it before preheating.

Unwrap the empanadas and space them evenly on the sheet. Place the sheet directly on the stone and bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until the pastry starts to turn golden. Place the empandas on serving plates and allow them to cool for 10 minutes before eating. They are also delicious at room temperature.

STORE

Unbaked, frozen, up to 3 months. (To bake from frozen, bake in a preheated 400°F. oven for 30 to 35 minutes or until golden.) Baked, refrigerated, up to 5 days. (Reheat, if desired, in a 300 ↓F. oven for 5 minutes.)

NOTE

To make your own ancho chile powder, on a small baking sheet, toast an ancho chile in a preheated 350°F. oven for 5 minutes or just until it puffs up and becomes crisp, turning it halfway through. (Overtoasting will make it bitter.) Remove and discard the stem and seeds. Process it in a food processor or spice blender until it turns into a fine powder. Store any leftover powder in an airtight jar.

UNDERSTANDING

Ancho chiles are dried poblano peppers. These are the chiles that give the distinctive flavor to commercial chili powder. Freshly roasted and ground, they are more aromatic than chili powder. Ancho chiles are sold in Spanish markets and by mail order from Balducci’s (see page 675).

Rolling out the pie dough on whole wheat flour gives it extra texture and flavor. To prevent the coarse bran from breaking through the dough, process it first for a few minutes in a food processor with the metal blade.

QUICHE LORRAINE

T
his was probably everyone’s first taste of quiche and is still many people’s favorite. Although a classic quiche Lorraine does not contain cheese, I wouldn’t dream of making one without it. I would miss not only the flavor but also the beautiful golden color cheese adds. Let’s face it: With bacon, cream, and eggs, this is a cholesterol avoider’s forbidden pleasure, so a small piece, on a special occasion, should be everything it can be. For me, that means the slight crunch and flavor of onion and using not only the best bacon, but also Gruyære cheese and, preferably, a lard pie crust. You could serve it with red wine, which, in what is touted as the “French paradox,” is said to counteract the effects of the high-fat French diet. Or do what I would do and serve it with an Alsatian Riesling, which is from the area of the quiche’s origins and, with its resonating mineral acidity, a fantastic accompaniment.

OVEN TEMPERATURE: 350°F. • BAKING TIME: 30 TO 40 MINUTES SERVES: 4 TO 6
INGREDIENTS	MEASURE	WEIGHT
VOLUME	OUNCES	GRAMS
Flaky Pastry for a 9½-inch tart, preferably lard (page 41), prebaked and still warm		13 ounces	370 grams
½ large egg white, lightly beaten	1 tablespoon	0.5 ounce	15 grams
bacon	5 strips	14 ounces	113 grams
finely chopped onion	¼ cup	approx. 1 ounce	32 grams
grated Gruyære cheese	1 cup (firmly packed), divided	3 ounces	85 grams
Cræme Fraiche (page 558) or heavy cream	½ liquid cup	4 ounces	116 grams
milk	½ liquid cup	4.25 ounces	121 grams
3 large eggs	scant liquid cup	5.25 ounces	150 grams
salt	¼teaspoon	•	•
freshly ground black pepper	teaspoon	•	•
cayenne pepper	a pinch	•	•
nutmeg, preferably freshly grated	a pinch	•	•

EQUIPMENT

A 9½-inch fluted tart pan with a removable bottom

Make the dough (page 41). Roll, shape, and prebake it (see page 251). While it is still warm, brush it with the egg white (see page 20).

Preheat the oven to 350°F. at least 15 minutes before baking. Set an oven rack at the middle level and place a baking stone or cookie sheet on it before preheating.

In a large frying pan, fry the bacon over low heat, for about 8 minutes or until barely crisp. With a slotted skimmer, remove it to paper towels to drain.

Distribute the chopped onion evenly over the prepared crust. Crumble the bacon into small pieces and sprinkle it evenly over the crust. Sprinkle half the Gruyære over it.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the cream, milk, eggs, and seasonings just until thoroughly blended. (The custard will measure about 1
cups.) Pour this mixture over the bacon and cheese. Sprinkle evenly with the remaining Gruyære and place the pan on the baking stone or sheet.

Bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until the filling is slightly puffed, the top is golden brown, and a thin knife blade inserted near the center comes out clean (165° to 170°F.). Allow it to cool on a rack for at least 10 minutes before unmolding.

Unmold the quiche (see page 251) and serve warm or at room temperature.

STORE

Refrigerated, covered, up to 2 days. To reheat, bake for 10 to 15 minutes in a preheated 350°F. oven.

POINTERS FOR SUCCESS

A prebaked pie crust is desirable because a raw one will still be uncooked and pasty in the middle, even if the quiche is baked directly on the oven floor.