ROLLING YOUR PASTRY
After chilling the pastry in the fridge,
remove it when it is cold and firm to the
touch — not completely hard or it will
crack when rolled — it should just be
pliable. If it has been chilled for more than
2-3 hours, remove from the fridge and
leave at room temperature for 5 minutes
before rolling, to soften it slightly.
Use only as much flour on the work
surface as you need to prevent the pastry
from sticking, and no more. Flour the
rolling pin too, but avoid sprinkling flour
over the pastry itself or it can result in
grey, floury patches.
BLIND BAKING
Sometimes referred to as ‘pre-baking’,
this is the process of baking a pie crust
or other pastry without the filling. Blind
baking a pie or tart crust is necessary
when it will be filled with an unbaked
filling, in which case the crust must be
fully baked.
Press the pastry into the tin using your
fingertips; leave an overhang of pastry
around the sides. Prick the base all over
with a fork. Line the tin with baking paper
and fill with ceramic baking beans or
dried pulses, both will work well. Bake
for around 15 minutes or until the pastry
is firm, then remove the beans and cook
for about five minutes more, until golden
brown and biscuit-like. Trim off any excess
pastry using a small serrated knife before
filling.SWEET FILLING IDEAS
Apple and cinnamon
Combine slices of apple in a bowl with
cinnamon, nutmeg and maple syrup until
the apple slices are evenly coated. Arrange
apple slices on the tart crust. Bake for 35-
40 minutes or until the apples are tender
and the crust is lightly brown.Treacle
Heat golden syrup in a saucepan until
runny. Add fresh white breadcrumbs,
lemon rind and juice, and mix well. Pour
into your crust and bake for around 25
minutes, until pastry is golden and filling
is set.Other fillings
Chocolate and salted caramel, peach,
lemon and lime, pumpkin and cherry.SAVOURY FILLING IDEAS
Lentils
Combine lentils, onion, olive oil and
tomatoes in a bowl. Stir in an array of
herbs (parsley, cumin, coriander and salt).
Mix well to combine all of the ingredients.
Pour on top of the pastry tart and cook for
around 25-30 minutes.Caramelised onion
and mushroom
Fry minced cloves of garlic and onions
with a small amount of sugar until
golden and caramelised. Add capers and
mushrooms and continue to fry. Once
the mushrooms are fully cooked, pour
over vegan cream and cook for a further
five minutes. Sprinkle in some flour and
continue to stir until thickened. Pour
the filling into tart tin and bake for 10
minutes.Other fillings
Roasted vegetable, sundried tomato,
beetroot and rosemary and leek and kale.Always turn the pastry
rather than the rolling
pin. Use a loose grip
on the rolling pin and
avoid applying too much
pressure when the rolling
pin comes into contact
with the pastry.