Basic method

There is no magic about making the kind of pastry that “melts in your mouth”. The secret of its flaky texture lies in the hundreds of tiny particles of fat, surrounded with and separated by the flour, melting during the baking process to form layers of delicate flakes.That is why the good pastry cook should be quick and “light-fingered” in the most precise meaning of that phrase. Working quickly and lightly, using a knife or a pastry blender rather than one’s warm hands, having all the ingredients as cold as  possible, all these are means to the same end – to keep the fat particles separate from the flour. Working too slowly or handling the pastry roughly will blend the fat and flour and the final result will be tough, hard an7d unpalatable. While cutting the fat into the flour, make sure it is being distributed evenly, paying particular attention to the bottom of the bowl. It is properly mixed when the largest pieces of fat are about the size of a small pea.

Now comes the adding of the water which is an equally vital stage of pastry making. The amount added, and the method of adding it can still spell success or failure. Again the prime consideration is the protection of the fat particles. The water should be sprinkled in, a tablespoon at a time, lightly stirring and tossing the mixture with a fork, to make sure the moisture is evenly distributed. A good general rule to follow in pastry-making is to always add as little water as possible. A reliable method of testing is to take a bit of the pastry mixture up in your hand. If it is moist enough to hold together under very light pressure, it is ready for rolling out.At this final stage, “quickly” and “lightly” still remain the key words. Lightly flour the board and the rolling pin. As you roll the pastry out, start each stroke from its centre, keeping it in as circular a shape as possible, and its thickness as even as you can manage. Don’t put too much pressure on the rolling pin. Lift and turn the pastry occasionally to make sure it is not sticking to the board.

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Holsum – Background and uses

Holsum has been around for generations and is the tried and trusted household friend.

Health

• Holsum is made of pure palm oil, which is an excellent source of vitamins A and D, and has no additives or preservatives. Palm oil is suitable for vegetarians, as well as for Kosher and Halaal cooking.
• Holsum contains naturally occurring solid fats and has not been artificially hardened through a process called hydrogenation, and thus contains no Trans Fatty Acids (which have been discovered to be highly toxic to humans)

• Holsum is a fantastic shortening agent, as it is 100% fat, with good plasticity, which means that it melts slowly when baked and results in a rich crispy pastry.
• Holsum contains no added moisture, it will not spatter when heated.
• Holsum is also an excellent frying medium and produces the most delicious, crispy roast potatoes, fritters, vetkoek and French fries.
• Holsum has no discernable flavour of its own, but is an excellent flavour carrier, and enhances the flavour of foods cooked with it.
• Holsum can be used to grease baking sheets and pans, simply peel bake the wrapper and rub the brick lightly over the surface of your baking pans.

• Cast Iron pots, pans and potjies can be kept in tip top condition by storing them with a light coating of Holsum to prevent them rusting. (be sure to give them a good wash before use, if stored for prolonged periods)
• Lightly rubbing a cold frying pan with a brick of Holsum can help to lower the amount of fat or oil you would normally use when frying, as the pan is sufficiently coated with oil, no extra oil will be required to fry in.
• Holsum does not need to be refrigerated and can be kept on the shelf for up to a year.

Holsum is available in 125g bricks from most supermarkets and retails outlets.

Glazing pastry before baking

The appearance of almost every pie can be improved with a glaze. Even a simple brushing of milk or egg white will give the pastry case a lovely finish. This is true of all short crust pastries, whether savoury or sweet, as well as for puff pastry and its variations. The exception is filo, which is given its golden shine by the butter that is brushed over the pastry before it is baked.Brush the decorated pastry before baking. This removes any stray pieces of flour, seals the surface and gives it a sheen. Glaze the surface of pies before positioning cut-out pastry decorations, then brush the decorations with more glaze.

Always glaze thinly and evenly, avoiding any drips. This is important when glazing puff pastry, as any glaze on the sides of the pastry will make the layers stick together and prevent rising.Each of these glazes gives a slightly different result. Egg wash adds a deep golden colour as well as gloss, lightly beaten egg white gives a clear finish, and milk gives a dull shine. For a richer colour, saffron can be infused with milk and used on its own or with beaten egg. After glazing, sweet pies can be sprinkled with sugar.

Egg wash - Whole beaten egg can be used or, for a very rich, glossy finish, lightly beat 1 egg yolk with 5 ml cold water in a bowl, then beat in a pinch of salt or caster sugar. A double coating of glaze will give an even deeper colour; after applying the first coat of glaze, chill the pastry, then apply a second coat. Brush the egg glaze thinly, taking care that it doesn’t pool around any decorative edges, or they will be much darker after baking.

Egg white - Lightly beaten egg white gives a clear, shiny finish. On sweet pastries, sprinkle the egg white with caster sugar.

Milk - This can be used when a very light glaze with little shine is needed. Use on sweet pies made with rich short crust pastry or pate sucree as these will already have a good colour from the egg yolks in the pastry. Sprinkle the pastry with caster sugar, or with granulated or demerara sugar to give a crunchy finish.

Saffron egg glaze - This gives pastry a vibrant golden colour and is ideal for fish pies. Add a pinch of saffron threads to a small bowl containing 15 ml hot milk or water. Leave for 20 minutes, then strain into a little beaten egg or egg yolk. Add a pinch of salt for savoury pies or caster sugar for sweet ones, before using to glaze.

Types of pastry

There are many types of pastry, but all are based on a mixture of flour and fat, with eggs or water for binding.

Almond pastry

This dough resembles pate sucree and is especially good with fruits such as apples and cherries. The addition of ground almonds makes if fairly soft to handle, so it must be well chilled before using. This quantity is sufficient for a 23 cm flan tin.Makes about 350 g

150 g                                  plain flour
                                            pinch of salt
  25 g                                  caster sugar
  50 g                                  ground almonds
  90 g                                  chilled butter, diced
    1                                      egg
1-2                                      drops almond essence

Method

•    Sift the plain flour and salt into a mixing bowl. Stir in the caster
      sugar and ground almonds. Rub or cut in the butter until the
      mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
•    Beat the egg and almond essence together in a  bowl. Stir into the
      dry ingredients to make a soft dough. Wrap in clear film and chill       for 40 minutes until firm before using.

Chocolate pastry

This rich,dark pastry is ideal for tarts or flans with creamy fillings or fruit such as pears or mixed soft summer berries. This quantity is       enough for a 23 cm flan tin.Makes about 300 g

115 g                                  plain flour
  25 g                                  icing sugar
  25 g                                  cocoa powder (unsweetened)
  75 g                                  chilled butter, diced
    2                                      eggs
2.5 ml                                 vanilla essence

Method

•    Sift the flour, icing sugar and cocoa powder into a mixing bowl.             Rub or cut in the butter until the mixture resembles fine            
      breadcrumbs.
•    Mix the eggs with the vanilla essence. Add to the dry ingredients
      and mix to a dough, with a round-bladed knife.
•    Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface until smooth. Form       into a ball, then wrap in clear film and chill for 20 minutes before       using.

Choux pastry

Elegantly light and crisp, choux pastry puffs up during baking to at least double its original size, creating a hollow centre, perfect for both sweet and savoury fillings. Choux is one of the easiest pastries to make; follow the instructions and you can’t go wrong. Unlike other pastries, where the fat is rubbed into the flour, choux is made on the stovetop. The butter is melted with water then brought to the boil before adding the flour. Beating the mixture over a low heat partially cooks the flour. Finally, eggs are gradually incorporated to make a thick glossy paste, ready for spooning or piping into puffs and eclairs, or for making an impressive gateaux such as Paris-Brest and Gateau Saint-Honore. This quantity is sufficient for 20 small puffs, 14 large puffs or 12 eclairs.Makes about 150 g

  65 g                                  plain flour
                                            pinch of salt
  50 g                                  butter, diced
150 ml                               water
    2                                      eggs, lightly beaten

Method

•    Preheat the oven to 200°C. Sift the flour and salt on to a small
      sheet of baking parchment. Put the butter  and water in a pan and
      heat very gently until the butter has melted.
•    Increase the heat and bring to a rolling boil. Remove the pan from
      the heat and immediately tip in all the flour and beat vigorously
      until the flour is mixed into the liquid.
•    Return the pan to a low heat and beat the mixture until it begins to
      form a ball and leave the sides of the pan. This will take about 1
      minute. Remove the pan from the heat again and allow to cool for
      2-3 minutes.
•    Add the beaten eggs a little at a time, beating well between each
      addition, until you have a very smooth shiny paste, thick enough to
      hold its shape.
•    Spoon or pipe the pastry on to a baking sheet dampened or lined
      with baking parchment. Space well apart.

Cream cheese pastry

This moist, flaky pastry is very easy to make and use, provided it is well chilled before being rolled out. It is perfect for tiny tartlets with
rich fillings and also makes a wonderful shoofly pie. This quantity
is enough for a 25 cm flan tin or ten 7.5 cm tartlet tins.Makes about 375 g

150 g                                  plain flour
                                            pinch of salt
    5 ml                                caster sugar
115 g                                  full-fat cream cheese, at room temperature
115 g                                  butter, at room temperature, diced

Method

•    Sift the flour, salt and caster sugar into a mixing bowl. Add the
      cream cheese and diced butter to the bowl.
•    Using the back of a fork, mix the butter and cream cheese into the
      flour to make a soft, smooth dough. Form into a ball and flatten
      slightly to make rolling out easier. Wrap the dough in clear film
      and chill for about 1 hour before using.

Flaky pastry

When baked, this pastry looks a little like puff pastry, but has fewer layers. Instead of adding the fat at the start, it is incorporated by dotting it over the rolled-out dough. This creates pockets of air and helps to separate the layers. Half white vegetable fat or lard and half butter can be used instead of all butter for an even flakier texture. This makes enough for two single-crusts in 1.2 litre pie dishes.Makes about 450 g

225 g                                  strong white bread flour
                                            pinch of salt
175 g                                  chilled butter
150 ml                               chilled water

Method

•    Sift the flour and salt into a mixing bowl. Rub or cut in 40 g of the
      butter until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Pour over
      120 ml of the water and, using a round-bladed knife, mix to a soft
      dough, adding more water if needed.
•    Put on a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth. Wrap in
      clear film and chill for 15 minutes.
•    Roll the dough out to a 30 x 10 cm rectangle. Cut another 40 g of
      the remaining butter into small pieces and dot them evenly all
      over the top two-thirds of the pastry, leaving a 1 cm margin at the
      edge.
•    Fold the lower third of the pastry up and over the centre third, and
      the buttered third down over that. Press the edges together to
      seal. Wrap in clear film and chill for 10 minutes.
•    Repeat the rolling out and folding process (without adding any
      more of the butter) once more. Roll out two more times, with the
      folded edges at the sides, using 40 g of the butter each time. Roll
      out and fold once again (without adding any fat). Chill for at least 1
      hour before using.

French flan pastry or paté a foncer

This is another variation of short crust made with egg yolk and a dash of lemon juice to develop the gluten and make a firm pastry. As the name suggests, it is used for flans as it is robust enough to hold sweet and savoury fillings for a long time without becoming soft and soggy. Because it has a high proportion of fat, it needs to be well chilled before use, and care must be taken when rolling out. After making, the pastry is kneaded by a process known as fresage. The following makes enough for a 25 cm flan tin or ten 7.5 cm tartlet tins.Makes about 300 g

200 g                                  plain flour
 1.5 ml                                salt
115 g                                  chilled butter, diced
    1                                      egg yolk
 1.5 ml                                lemon juice
30-45 ml                            chilled water

Method

•    Sift the flour and salt into a mixing bowl. Rub or cut in the butter
      until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
•    Whisk the egg yolk, lemon juice and 30 ml of the water together in
      a bowl. Sprinkle over the dry ingredients. Stir in with a fork to mix.
•    Shape the moistened dry ingredients into a rough ball with your
      hand, adding the remaining water if the mixture is too dry. Place
      on a lightly floured surface.
•    With the heel of your hand, lightly knead the dough for 1 minute,
      pushing small portions of dough away from you and smearing
      them on the surface until the dough is smooth and pliable.
•    Shape the dough into a ball, then flatten into a round. Wrap in
      clear film and chill for an hour.

Hot water crust pastry

This traditional British pastry is used for cold meat and game pies - known as standing of raised pies because they hold their shape and stand unsupported by a tin or dish. The following makes enough for a 20 cm raised pie mould or loose-based cake tin or a 25 x 7  cm oblong raised pie mould.Makes about 450 g

275 g                                  plain flour
 1.5 ml                                salt
  65 g                                  lard or white vegetable fat
150 ml                               water

Method

•    Sift the flour and salt into a bowl and make a well in the centre.
      Gently heat the fat and water in a pan until the fat has melted.
      Increase the heat and bring to the boil. Pour the hot liquid into the
      dry ingredients and mix to a soft dough.
•    Knead in the bowl for a few seconds until smooth. Wrap the
      dough in clear film and leave to rest in a warm place for 10
      minutes, or until the dough feels firmer. Use while still warm.

Olive oil pastry

Choose a well-flavoured olive oil for this crisp pastry. It is best used for savoury tarts and complements vegetable fillings especially well. This quantity is enough for a 23 cm flan tin.Makes about 275 g

225 g                                  plain flour
                                            pinch of salt
    1                                      egg
  60 ml                                olive oil
  30 ml                                lukewarm water

Method

•    Sift the flour and salt into a bowl. In a separate bowl, use a fork to
      whisk the egg, olive oil and water together.
•    Make a well in the centre of the flour and salt, add the egg mixture
      and stir with a fork, gradually incorporating the surrounding flour
      until all the liquid has been worked in and a dough is formed.
•    Knead on a lightly floured surface for a few seconds until smooth,
      then cover with a damp dishtowel and leave to rest for 30 minutes
      before using. Knead only until smooth and do not overwork, or the
      pastry will be tough.

Potato pastry

This substantial pastry has a crumbly texture when baked. It’s rolled out more thickly than short crust pastry and is ideal as a topping for meat or other savoury pies. This makes enough for a 25 cm crust.Makes about 450 g

115 g                                  floury potatoes, diced
225 g                                  plain flour
115 g                                  chilled butter, diced
    1/2                                      beaten egg
  10 ml                                chilled water

Method

•    Cook the diced potatoes in a pan of salted boiling water until
      tender. Drain well and mash until smooth.
•    Sift the flour into a mixing bowl. Rub or cut in the butter until the
      mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
•    Mix together the beaten egg and water, and stir into the mashed
      potato. Add to the flour mixture and stir with a round-bladed knife
      to mix to a smooth, pliable dough. Wrap the dough in clear film
      and chill for about 30 minutes before using.

Puff pastry

Light and crisp, with a distinctly buttery flavour, puff pastry (pate feuilletee) is the richest, yet lightest, of all pastries. It contains an equal amount of butter to flour. Air is trapped between the layers of dough and this, together with the steam created as the water heats, makes the pastry rise up when baked.Although you need to allow plenty of time, puff pastry does not require continuous work; just a few minutes of re-rolling about every half hour.It is essential that everything be kept cold when you are making puff pastry. The water should be chilled and the butter cold, but not so cold that it will break up and tear the dough; before commencing let the butter stand at room temperature for 10 minutes. Never make puff pastry on a hot day. This makes enough for two single-crusts in 1.5 litre pie dish or fifteen 8.5 cm vol-au-vents. Makes about 500 g

225 g                                  strong white bread flour
                                            pinch of salt
225 g                                  chilled butter
  15 ml                                lemon juice
150 ml                               chilled water

Method

•    Sift the flour and salt into a mixing bowl. Rub or cut in 25 g of the       butter into the flour until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
•    Place the remaining butter between two sheets of clear film and       gently beat it out into a 15 cm flat square with a rolling pin.
•    Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients. Stir the lemon             juice into the water and add most of it to the bowl. Mix togethe
      with a round-bladed knife, adding a little more water if necessary
      to make a soft, but not sticky, dough.
•    Using a floured rolling pin, roll out the dough on a lightly floured
      surface to a 25 cm square. The dough may look a little lumpy at
      this stage, but don’t knead it. Place the butter diagonally in the
      centre of the dough, so that it looks like a diamond. Bring each
      corner of the dough to the centre of the butter to enclose it
      completely.
•    Roll out the dough to a 40 x 15 cm rectangle, then fold the lower
      third of the pastry over the centre third, and the top third of the
      pastry down over that. Seal the edges by pressing down with the
      rolling pin. Brush off any excess flour with a dry pastry brush, then
      wrap the pastry in clear film and chill for 30 minutes.
•    Roll out the pastry to the same size again, with the sealed edges
      at the top and bottom. Fold up and chill as before. Repeat the
      rolling, folding and chilling process five more times. After this, the
      pastry is ready to be used.

Rough puff pastry

This is much simpler to make and far less time-consuming than puff pastry, and has a lower proportion of fat to flour. You will get lovely buttery, flaky results using rough puff pastry, but not a good rise, so use it for sweet and savoury pie and flan crusts. This makes enough for two single-crust pies in 1.5 litre pie dishes.Makes about 500 g

250 g                                  plain flour
                                            pinch of salt
175 g                                  chilled butter, diced
    5 ml                                lemon juice
120 ml                               chilled water

Method

•    Sift the flour and salt into a mixing bowl. Add the butter and mix
      with your fingertips to coat the butter with flour.
•    Stir the lemon juice into the water, then add to the dry ingredients
      and mix in with a round-bladed knife to make a soft dough. Don’t
      worry if the dough is slightly lumpy; the rolling and folding will
      gradually incorporate the fat.
•    Put the dough on to a lightly floured surface and knead for a few
      seconds to bring it together.
•    Roll out the pastry to a 30 x 10 cm rectangle. Fold the lower third
      over the centre and the top third over that. Seal the edges. Wrap in
      clear film and chill for 15 minutes.
•    Place the pastry on a lightly floured surface with the sealed edges
      at the top and bottom. Roll, fold and chill, as before, four more
      times. After this, the pastry is ready for use.

Shortcrust pastry

This short, crumbly pastry is probably the best known and most frequently used type. Although the simplest of all pastries, perfect short crust needs a cool light hand, as over-handling the dough will develop the gluten in the flour, making it heavy and hard. This crisp and light pastry is made with half the weight of fat to flour, with eggs or water to bind. It is easy and quick to make; indeed speed is very important, as overworking toughens the dough. There are many variations on the basic short crust recipe, varying the flour and fat used, and their ratios to each other. The following makes enough for 25 cm flan tin or ten 7.5 tartlet tins.Makes about 375 g

225 g                      plain flour
                                pinch of salt
115 g                      chilled butter, diced, or
                                half butter and half lard or
                                white vegetable fat
45-60 ml                chilled water

Method

•    Sift the flour and salt together into a mixing bowl. Cut the fat into
      the flour using a pastry blender or use your fingertips to rub it in.
      Shake the bowl occasionally to bring any large pieces of fat to the
      top. Blend until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
•    Sprinkle 45 ml of the water evenly over the mixture and mix lightly
      with a round-bladed knife or fork until the dough comes together.
      Add a little more water if the mixture is still too dry; it should just
      begin to hold together.
•    Using one hand, gather the dough together to form a ball.
      Incorporate any loose pieces of the rubbed-in mixture. Knead on
      a lightly floured surface for just a few seconds until smooth.
•    Wrap the dough in clear film and chill for about 30 minutes or until
      firm but not too stiff to roll. The short crust pastry is now ready to
      use.

Variations:
Once you’ve mastered making short crust, try adding flavourings to vary the rubbed-in mixture.
Cheese pastry − Add 50 g grated mature Cheddar or 45 ml freshly grated Parmesan and a pinch of mustard powder.
Fresh herb pastry − Add 45 ml chopped fresh herbs such as parsley, sage or chives or 15 ml stronger, flavoured herbs such as rosemary or thyme.

Short-cut flaky pastry

In this version, instead of dotting the dough with the fat, the butter is chilled and grated or shredded into the flour. This pastry has the same buttery flavour and crispness of flaky, but it isn’t as light. This makes enough for two single-crusts in 1.2 litre pie dishes.Makes about 450 g

175 g                                  chilled butter
225 g                                  plain flour
                                            pinch of salt
  90 ml                                chilled water

Method

•    Put the butter into the freezer for about 40 minutes, or until very      
      hard. Sift the flour and salt into a mixing bowl and chill while the
      butter is hardening.
•    Holding the butter in a piece of foil, coarsely grate it into the flour,       working quickly. Stir in the butter with a  round-bladed knife.      
      Sprinkle the water over the mixture and stir to make a dough,
      adding a little more water if needed.
•    Bring the dough together with your hand. Wrap in clear film and
      chill for 40 minutes before using.

Spiced orange pastry

This spicy pastry works well with winter fruit fillings. The following is enough for a 23 cm flan tin.Makes about 275 g

175 g                                  plain flour
                                            pinch of salt
  75 g                                  chilled butter, diced
    4                                      green cardamom pods
                                            pinch of ground cloves
                                            finely grated rind of 1 orange
  25 g                                  caster sugar
    2                                      egg yolks
  10 ml                                fresh orange juice

Method

•    Sift the flour and salt into a mixing bowl. Rub or cut in the butter
      until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
•    Using a pestle and mortar, crush the black seeds from the
      cardamom pods to a powder. Stir them into the flour with the
      cloves, orange rind and sugar.
•    Mix the egg yolks with the orange juice. Add to the bowl and mix to
      a dough. Knead until smooth, then wrap and chill for 40 minutes
      before using.

Strudel pastry

Although ready-made filo pastry is easily available, the home-made variety is well worth making. Strudel is one pastry that doesn’t need gentle handling; the more you bash and beat the pastry dough, the more flexible it will be. It isn’t too difficult to make, but requires careful rolling-out on a very large work surface until almost transparent. Have the filling ingredients prepared before you start rolling, as strudel pastry must be used straight away for best results. This makes enough for one large strudel.Makes about 275 g

225 g                                  strong white bread flour
 2.5 ml                                salt
    1                                      egg, lightly beaten
  10 ml                                sunflower oil
150 ml                               slightly warm water

Method

•    Sift the flour and salt into a mixing bowl. Make a well in the centre.
      Stir the egg and oil into the water, add to the flour and mix to form
      a sticky dough.
•    “Beat” the dough by lifting it and slapping it down on to a lightly
      floured surface. Continue until the dough no longer sticks to your
      fingers, then knead for 5 minutes until smooth and elastic. Shape
      into a ball, place on a dishtowel and cover with an upturned bowl.
      Leave to rest in a warm place for 30 minutes.
•    Lightly flour a very large clean cloth, such as a tablecloth, and roll
      out the dough as thinly as possible, lifting frequently to prevent it
      from sticking.
•    Gently stretch the dough with your hands spread out flat
      underneath it. Work around the dough, stretching until it is paper
      thin and forms a square of about 65 cm. Trim off the thick edges
      with scissors.

Suet pastry

This is a light, spongy pastry used for sweet and savoury steamed puddings. It is made with suet, a heavy grated fat, which is balanced by the use of self-raising flour. Lower-fat or vegetarian suet may also be used. This quantity is sufficient to line a 1.75 litre ovenproof bowl.Makes about 500 g

275 g self-raising flour
2.5 ml salt
150 g shredded suet
175 ml chilled water

Method

•    Sift the flour and salt into a large mixing bowl.
•    Stir in the shredded suet, followed by most of the chilled water
      and mix with a fork or spoon to form a soft dough.
•    Knead on a lightly floured surface for a few seconds until smooth.
•    Roll out the suet pastry and use straight away. Don’t be tempted
      to roll the pastry too thinly. It needs to be about 1 cm thick.

Whole meal pastry

Pastry made with all whole meal flour can be heavy in both taste and texture. A mixture of flours together with a little fat gives lighter results. This is enough for a 25 cm flan tin (quiche pan).Makes about 400 g

115 g                                  whole meal (whole-wheat) flour
115 g                                  plain flour
                                            pinch of salt
                                            pinch of mustard powder
115 g                                  chilled butter, diced
  25 g                                  white vegetable fat or lard
    1                                      egg yolk
  30 ml                                chilled water

Method

•    Sift the flours, salt and mustard powder into a mixing bowl. Rub or
      cut in the butter and fat until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
      Mix the egg yolk with the water and sprinkle over the dry
      ingredients. Mix to a dough.
•    Knead on a lightly floured surface for a few seconds until smooth.
•    Wrap the dough in clear film and chill for about 20 minutes before
     using.

Working with filo

Extremely easy to use, filo comes stacked into sheets, factory-rolled to a thinness that only a pastry chef could achieve. Don’t be deterred by the flimsy appearance of filo; providing you keep the stack covered with a slightly damp dishtowel and peel off only the sheets that you’re working with, it can be cut, folded or layered into shape for quick and easy results. To add flavour and to make the pastry light and crisp, lightly brush sheets of bought filo with melted butter or oil, as you layer them. Bought pastry is available in various sizes; smaller sheets are about 30 x 18 cm and larger ones are normally about
50 x 24 cm.

Making filo pastry pies
Filo can be used to make all manner of pies from light and crisp pastry toppings to free-form and double-crust pies. Use the melted butter sparingly, so that the finished pastry is crisp and golden.

Making simple filo toppings

For an incredibly quick and easy way to make a pie, top with either smooth or crumpled sheets of buttered or oiled filo. The filling should require little cooking as the pastry will be crisp and brown in around 30 minutes.

One-crust toppings - A savoury or sweet filling can be spooned into a pie dish and covered with a smooth filo pastry topping. You will need six filo pastry sheets, slightly larger than your chosen pie dish - you can use the upturned dish as a guide. Spoon the filling into the dish. Place the sheets of filo on top, lightly buttering between the layers and neatly tucking them down the sides of the dish to fit smoothly.
Scrunch topping - Loosely crumple sheets of buttered or oiled filo. Use five to six sheets of filo, placed buttered-side up, to cover the filling. The filling must not be too wet, or steam will spoil the crisp texture of the filo.

Making a free-form pie

•    Filo pastry can be used to make a free-form pie without using a
      dish or tin. Pies can be any size you choose, depending on how
      many people you wish to serve.
•    Melt and cool 50 g butter. Take eight large sheets of filo pastry.
      Lay the first sheet on a damp dishtowel or baking sheet. Brush
      with butter.
•    Cover with a second sheet of pastry at a slightly different angle
      and brush with a little butter. Add three more sheets in the same
      way.
•    Put the filling into the centre. Cover with the remaining sheets,
      brushing each layer with butter. Draw up the pastry edges around
      the filling, twisting and scrunching them to seal. Brush with the
      remaining butter before baking.

Making double-crust filo pies

Rather than using separate sheets of filo for the bottom and top covering, a single sheet can be draped over the base and sides of a flan tin or tartlet tins and folded over to enclose the filling. Brush the flan or tartlet tins with melted butter. Fit a square sheet of filo pastry into each tin, draping it so that it hangs over the sides. Brush with butter, then add another sheet at right angles to the first. Spoon in the filling, then draw the overhanging pastry edges together and scrunch to cover the filling. Brush with melted butter before baking. For tins larger than 13 cm you will need to use at least four square sheets of filo.

Recipe

Easy Pork Pies

Pastry

500 ml                                flour
                                            pinch salt
180 g                                  cold butter (Holsum), cut into pieces
    1                                      egg, lightly beaten
                                             little ice cold water

Filling

500 g                                  pork sausage meat
     1                                     apple, grated
   15 ml                               chopped fresh parsley
    1                                      bunch spring onions, finely chopped,
                                             white part only
   5 ml                                  dried sage
                                             salt & freshly ground black pepper

Method

•    Combine flour and salt in the bowl of a food processor. Add butter       and blitz lightly until mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs.
•    Add egg and enough cold water to make a stiff but soft pastry.
      Wrap in cling film and chill in fridge.

Filling

•    Combine filling ingredients together in a bowl, mix well and set
      aside.
•    Roll pastry out on a lightly floured work surface to 5 mm thick.
•    Cut out eight 11.5 cm circles and line 8 muffin pans. Gather up
      pastry scraps and knead together lightly. Roll out again and using
      a 9 cm cutter and cut out eight lids. Set aside.
•    Divide the filling equally between the pastry cases. Moisten edges
      of lids with a little water and place on top of filling.
•    Press edges lightly to secure. Make a small slit on top of pies with
     a sharp knife and chill 15 minutes.
•   Brush with beaten egg and bake at 180 C, 30-35 minutes until
     golden brown. Cool in pans before removing. Makes 8.