Pâte brisée and flan pastry (pâte à foncer) are versatile pastries, used for all kinds of bases. Largely interchangeable in cooking, both can be made successfully in an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook, it certainly makes the job simpler and saves time, but I prefer to make them by hand on a cold work surface. My favourite is the more delicate pâte brisée – with its crumbly crunch it makes the perfect base for lemon tart, but when tarts and quiches need to be made several hours in advance, I would choose pâte à foncer. To make a perfect lining for pastry rings and tart tins, both of these pastries must be rolled out as thinly as possible (3-4mm thickness), to ensure that the pastry base is properly cooked and is light, crisp and digestible. Then the choice of filling is down to you – give your imagination a free rein! Flan pastry Known as pâte à foncer in France, this pastry is less delicate and fragile than pâte brisée, but it tastes just as good and has a crisper texture. It can be kept in the fridge for a week or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Ingredients 250g plain flour 125g butter, cut into small pieces and slightly softened 1 egg 1 tsp caster sugar ½ tsp fine salt 40ml cold water Method Heap the flour on the work surface and make a well. Put the butter, egg, sugar and salt in the middle. With your fingertips, mix and cream the ingredients in the well. Now, little by little, draw the flour into the centre and work the dough with your fingertips to a grainy texture. Add the cold water and mix it in until the dough begins to hold together. Using the palm of your hand, push the dough away from you 4 or 5 times until it is smooth. Roll the pastry into a ball, wrap in cling film and refrigerate until ready to use.
Beef and cheese empanadas Ingredients 720g-flan pastry 150ml groundnut oil 450g lean braising beef, minced (through a medium blade) 300g onions, finely chopped 6 garlic cloves, finely chopped 300g tomatoes, peeled, deseeded and roughly chopped ½ tsp ground cumin ½ tsp dried oregano ½ tsp sweet paprika 600ml veal or beef stock (good ready-made is suitable) 1 tbsp fine salt 1 tbsp freshly ground pepper 300g Cheddar or Cantal, grated 150g cottage cheese 2 egg whites, lightly beaten 50g parsley, fried in groundnut oil, to finish (optional) Method For the filling, heat half the oil in a frying pan. Add the minced beef and brown it over a high heat, then tip into a colander to drain off the fat. Heat the remaining oil in a shallow saucepan over a medium heat, add the onions and sweat then for 5 minutes, then add the garlic and tomatoes and simmer for 20 minutes. Add the beef, cumin, oregano, paprika, stock, salt, and pepper and cook gently for 30 minutes. Add the cheddar and cottage cheese and bubble for 2-3 minutes. Tip into a bowl and leave to cool, then refrigerate until ready to use. To assemble the empanadas, roll out about a fifth of the pastry to a 1.5-2mm thickness and cut out about 6 discs using a 9cm pastry cutter. Put a generous tablespoon (about 20g) of filling into the centre of the discs and brush the pastry edges with egg white. Fold the pastry over the filling to make turnovers and pinch the edges together between your thumb and index finger, giving the border an quarter-turn inwards towards the filling every 5mm to make a plaited edge and seal it completely. Repeat to use all the pastry and filling. Chill the empanadas for 20 minutes. Preheat the oven to 180°c / Gas 4. Place the empanadas on a baking sheet and bake for 12-15 minutes until golden. Transfer to a wire rack Arrange the empanadas in a basket or on a platter and scatter with freshly fried parsley if you like. Serve hot. "Pastry" by Michel Roux, published by Quadrille, £14.99. Weblink: www.quadrille.co.uk