A happy byproduct of my refusal to throw away even a little bit of my sourdough starter has been the pastry recipe I adapted from Jacques Pepin. I have long used his pate brisée as the base of all my fruit galettes, because it is so simple and so good. A cup and a half of flour, a stick of butter, a generous pinch each of salt and sugar, and then cold water to bring the dough together will yield an easy to handle, buttery pastry the consistency of pie dough.
But, cut the flour to a cup, grate into it your stick of cold butter, and add 1/2 cup of sourdough starter, straight from the fridge, and the result is amazing: tender and flaky, more like puff pastry than pie pastry. Every few days or so, I throw together a batch, chill it for several hours or overnight, and then make either a sweet or savory galette. So far we have had a few with peaches and blueberries, one with Swiss chard, caramelized onions, and fontina, and this morning I made 8 individual tarts with cherry tomato sauce, rosemary, and basil to share with our neighbors.
I have plans for a summer squash version, perhaps with fresh thyme, savory and cheddar, another one with berries and cream cheese, and maybe roasted eggplant with tahini and mint. And when fall gets here? Oh boy! In addition to apples (of course), I foresee wild mushroom, butternut squash with goat cheese and sage, all sorts of greens, and more finding their way to a palette of pastry.
"I just want to eat tart every day!" I told Heidi at the pool recently.
"Then you better keep swimming, Babe," she replied, quite practically.
And I did! But what am I going to do when the pool closes?
But, cut the flour to a cup, grate into it your stick of cold butter, and add 1/2 cup of sourdough starter, straight from the fridge, and the result is amazing: tender and flaky, more like puff pastry than pie pastry. Every few days or so, I throw together a batch, chill it for several hours or overnight, and then make either a sweet or savory galette. So far we have had a few with peaches and blueberries, one with Swiss chard, caramelized onions, and fontina, and this morning I made 8 individual tarts with cherry tomato sauce, rosemary, and basil to share with our neighbors.
I have plans for a summer squash version, perhaps with fresh thyme, savory and cheddar, another one with berries and cream cheese, and maybe roasted eggplant with tahini and mint. And when fall gets here? Oh boy! In addition to apples (of course), I foresee wild mushroom, butternut squash with goat cheese and sage, all sorts of greens, and more finding their way to a palette of pastry.
"I just want to eat tart every day!" I told Heidi at the pool recently.
"Then you better keep swimming, Babe," she replied, quite practically.
And I did! But what am I going to do when the pool closes?
Oh, man. I am going to copy your ideas for sourdough tarts! When the pool closes, you can ride your bike!
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