Stoplight Starter |
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Puff Pastry 3 c. and 1 T. unbleached flour |
Blend the salt into the iced water and pour into flour and butter mixture. Blend with fork, pressing dough into a mass. Lift mass out of bowl. Sprinkle any unmoistened flour with a bit more water and press together, then add to mass. Shape into rough cushion shape, sprinkle lightly with flour, wrap in plastic, seal in plastic bag and chill for 40 min. |
¾ lb. (3 sticks) chilled unsalted butter |
Bash butter with a rolling pin (a silicone-coated batard is ideal) to soften and smear with the heel of your hand. Knead in the flour and form into 5” square. Set aside. Roll the chilled dough into a 13” diameter circle. Place the butter in the middle of the circle. Fold edges of dough over the butter, enclosing it completely and sealing edges. Bash dough with rolling pin to mobilize butter, then roll packet into 16” x 8” rectangle. Fold into thirds like a business letter. Repeat rolling and folding. Wrap dough, return to plastic bag, and chill 40 to 60 mins. (Turns One and Two). Repeat rolling and folding twice more, then chill for one hour. (Turns Three and Four) |
1 egg beaten with 1 tsp. water |
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Roll dough into 14” rectangle. Cut in half and rewrap and chill one half while working with the other. (If second half of dough is not needed, it can be wrapped airtight and frozen.) Line two air bake sheets (13 ½” x 15”) with Silpats. Roll dough half into 10” x 20” rectangle. Cut into 10” x 2” strips. Use 1 1/4” round cutter or bottle top to cut two sets of three rounds out of HALF of the strips. (You are creating depressions to imitate traffic lights, so leave room at the ends and middle of the strips between the sets of rounds.) Brush uncut strips lightly with water. Carefully lift cut strips and place on top of uncut strips, being careful not to deform cut circles. Using the side of a paring knife, indent notches every 1/8” into the edges of the pastry stacks, pressing down gently with your fingers to seal the layers. Prick the exposed bottom layer of the pastry with a fork every ¼”. Prick through both layers of the ends and middles two or three times with a skewer (helps the layers rise straight while baking). Brush the top layer with the beaten egg and wipe any pools of egg out of the bottoms of the round depressions with a paper towel. If the dough is still cool, bake immediately. Otherwise, chill for 30 mins. before baking. Bake for 25 mins. If top browns too quickly, cover with foil. |
Green pea guacamole |
Assembly:
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| Serves 10 |