PERFECT PASTRY

cuisine Roll up, roll up

Pastry is a versatile component of many dishes, comprising a major component of creations such as pies (sweet and savoury), Cornish pasties, sausage rolls, and croissants.

Acombination of fl our and fat (butter, lard, or suet), pastry falls into fi ve basic types: shortcrust, fi lo, choux, fl aky and pu . Shortcrust is arguably the most versatile as it can be used for savoury and sweet pies, tarts and fl ans.

Basic pastry is usually two parts fl our and one part fat, but technique is also important. Here are some tips from Metropol about how to achieve perfect pastry:

FLOUR

Your choice of flour is vital for the type of pastry you want to make. Softer flour with lesser protein makes a shortcrust pastry that is crumbly rather than tough. Ordinary plain flour is fine. If making puff pastry, adding a little strong bread flour with lots of protein to your plain flour can be a good idea. TEMPERATURE

Purists recommend cold ingredients, cold equipment and marble boards. Keeping the butter cold also helps when making short crust pastry because it doesn’t melt into the flour when you are working it in. With puff, cold butter provides a barrier and air pockets between the pastry layers creating its flakiness. FAT

Fat provides flavour and also stops unwanted gluten development in pastries. Always rub butter into the flour before adding liquids. In flaky or puff pastry, the butter is left in chunks so that when it melts in a hot oven, it leaves air pockets between the thin pastry layers. WATER

Add water gradually, a little at a time until the dough looks lumpy but no longer crumbly. If you add too much and the pastry is sticky, add a little more flour, cutting up the pastry and tossing the pieces in flour and then pushing back together. Excess kneading to break up flour usually means tough pastry.

NEW now available in supermarkets

If you don’t see us, ask your in-store butcher directly

Or visit our factory shop located at 4/1004 Ferry Road, Ferrymead. Ph 03 384 2226

Tastes so good you don’t need sauce

TAS T E S SO GOOD YOU DON’ T NEED S A UCE