Savory French Pastry Dough for Mini Quiches
This savory tart dough is about as perfect a dough as I can imagine. It's easy to make, easy to form into tart shells, and most importantly, it bakes with little or no shrinkage. In addition, its buttery taste and flaky texture pair beautifully with your choice of filling.
Equipment
- Food Processor with Steel Blade
- Kitchen scale
- Parchment paper
- Rolling pin with ⅛-inch guide rings
- 6 4-inch deep mini tart pans with sloping sides
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups (7.5 ounces, 213 grams) all-purpose flour (See Tip 1)
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ cup (1 stick, 4 ounces, 113 grams) cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
- 1 large egg
- 1 to 2 teaspoons water, as needed
Instructions
- Add the flour and salt to a food processor with a steel blade. Pulse five times to combine. Add the butter; pulse until a coarse cornmeal consistency, about 9 times.
- Add the egg and pulse until crumbly, about 10 times. Gather a handful of the dough and pinch it together to test its consistency. If necessary, add 1 to 2 teaspoons of water, and pulse 7 to 8 times. (See Tip 2)
- Transfer the dough to a floured surface (it will be crumbly). Gently gather the dough until it comes together.
- Pinch off a piece of dough, between 65 and 70 grams. Roll into a ball and flatten into a rough circle. Place on a piece of floured parchment paper and top with another piece of parchment paper. Roll into a 6 ½- to 7-inch rough circle, ⅛-inch thick. (See Tips 3 and 4)
- Fit the dough into the tart pan, gently pressing the dough down and then pressing the dough against the sides of the tart pan. Trim the top; use a fork to prick the bottom all over. (See Tip 5)
- Repeat with the remaining dough, using scraps as needed. (See Tip 6)
- Freeze the shells for at least 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line the tart shells with 5- or 6-inch squares of parchment paper and fill with weights. (See Tip 7)
- Bake the tart shells for 20 minutes. Remove the parchment paper and weights. Brush the crusts with a beaten egg to seal them and bake for another 5 minutes, or until they just begin to color.
- Allow to cool slightly before filling. (See Tip 8)
- Yield: 6 4-inch mini tart shells ready to fill with your favorite filling.
Video
Tips/Notes
- I first tried Gold Medal Blue, then King Arthur, and couldn’t tell any difference.
- I always add 1 teaspoon of water.
- I always use ⅛-inch rolling pin rings on either end of my rolling pin to ensure an even thickness.
- To make it easier to fit the dough into the tart pans, cut it into 5 ½-inch circles.
- The 4-inch-deep mini tart pans with sloping sides that I used are the perfect pans for this recipe.
- I know that this somewhat defies conventional wisdom, but I can't tell any difference in the tart shells when I use the scraps.
- I always use dried beans for my pie weights.
- I sometimes freeze the baked tart shells for later use.
Nutrition
Calories: 195kcalCarbohydrates: 18gProtein: 3gFat: 12gSaturated Fat: 7gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.5gCholesterol: 51mgSodium: 155mgPotassium: 36mgFiber: 1gSugar: 0.1gVitamin A: 384IUCalcium: 10mgIron: 1mg
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