KEY POINTS:
Puff pastry
150g unsalted butter, chilled
160g plain flour
1/2 tsp salt
6 tbsp ice water
Rolling pin in the fridge
1. Divide the butter into four and leave in the fridge. Sift the flour onto the bench and make a well in the centre. Put in one portion of the butter, cubed, the salt and the water. Work the ingredients together with the fingers, gradually drawing in the flour till you have large crumbs. Press the pastry together into a ball, wrap in plastic wrap and chill for 15 mins.
2. Roll out the pastry to a 15 X 38cm rectangle. Cube the second portion of butter and sprinkle over 2/3 of the pastry. Fold the non-buttered third over the centre third, then fold over the remaining third of the pastry. Press the ends to seal. This is called a 'turn'. Re-wrap in plastic wrap and chill for 15 mins.
3. Repeat stage 2 with the third portion of butter.
4. Repeat again with fourth portion of butter.
5. Refrigerate till ready to use.
Chilli baked ricotta tart
Serves 4
1 x recipe puff pastry
1 Tbs milk
2 x 200 gm ricotta - I used Zany Zeus available from Sabato
2 fresh red banana chillies - seeds removed if preferred, sliced
2 small dried chillies, crushed
Zest of one lemon
Olive oil
2 stalks of fresh oregano, leaves stripped
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1.Preheat oven to 200 C. Roll out pastry to form a rectangle shape then transfer to an oven tray. Brush the edges with a little milk then fold over approximately 1 cm and brush again.
2.Lay the ricotta on the pastry and sprinkle with the chillies and lemon, drizzle generously with olive oil, add the oregano and season well. Bake for 15 minutes or until puffed and golden. Serve with salad greens if you fancy.
- Detours, HoS