Simple and Amazing Pie crust

Salty or Sweet, Pies are always welcomed in our lives. The combination of a delicious and crispy crust hiding the juicy moist filling is like unwrapping a present... Except this time you get to enjoy the wrapping! Same as presents, the wrapping is always quite important, as it gives its first impression and you gear your eye to the nicest one... At least I do... Same goes for a pie.. You can't see the inside but the outside is the first thing that triggers your attention and if that stands well... Usually the rest comes together. So how important is a crust?? Might I add more to state the obvious answer?

After much cooking, baking and of course eating, we have "magically" found an Amazing recipe for a pie crust, salty or sweet, and it's simple.. Trust me it wasn't a fluke, every time we made it, never has it failed us from the prepping to the baking! I can't recall where we found it but it was no other than a French recipe.. After all they know their cooking! 

I made this pie crust for a few recipes, basically make it and have fun filling it! 

See blog for Pie ideas

Ingredients:

270ml (1 cup + 1 tbsp) All purpose flour unbleached preferably 

30ml (2 tbsp) Corn starch

150g (150ml) Butter cold in cubes (you can use salted or unsalted, depending what you cook)

1 tsp salt (no matter salty or sweet pie)

100ml cold water

What you'll need 

Stand mixer with Bread hook preferably (flat beater can be use - not wire)

Mesh Strainer-sifter

Spatula 

Some flour for rolling

Rolling pin

Plastic wrap 

average cooking time for cooked filling 40-60 minutes

Oven temperature 365 degrees f

Let's start:

 Step 1. Place a mesh strainer-sifter above the stand mixing bowl. Sift Flour, Corn starch and salt

 Step 2. Gently add the cold butter cubes in the bowl while mixing on low speed. Mix for approx 1 minute

 Step 3. Gently add the water in slow parts, scraping the edge of the bowl with your spatula to make sure all is well combined.

Step 4. Let the Stand mixer do the work. You can increase one speed up for a few seconds, but make sure to keep it at a low speed most of the time.. Give it time, you'll notice the dough will turn into a ball. Usually when using a hook, no kneading is required, at least not for this recipe! 

Step 5. Once nice and soft, wrap the dough in a plastic wrap and keep in the fridge for approx 30 minutes. (The dough will not rise, no need to put into a bowl and cover)

Once time elapsed, remove dough from plastic and cut in half with a knife. Place first half on a lightly floured counter top. Lightly flour your rolling pin as well and start rolling, larger than you pie pan. Butter/flour your pie pan before placing the dough base. Form around pressing gently and set aside. Continue on rolling the second half of your dough. Once ready, fill your pie and cover with second dough. Press around securing edges, and with a sharp knife, carefully cut excess dough around. (Only fill the pie once you are ready to avoid moistening the bottom dough)   

The key thing to remember, always keep the dough cold until ready to work it, in order to have a crispy and flaky crust. 

6. Once filled, before cooking, remember to always give your top crust a few holes to let out steam and an egg-wash which give a nice crust to the pie. 

"For your egg-wash, separate your egg and use the yolk only in a bowl with less than 1 tsp of water. Whisk your wash and using a basting-pastry brush, lightly brush the top raw dough with the mixture."

Cooking time for most pies can vary from 40-60 minutes. In my case, for the salty cooked fillings, cooking time was 45 minutes at 365 degrees f. 

Once ready, let stand a few minutes before cutting... Enjoy

Sincerely
T @stuffedfaces

Simple Buttery Chicken roast

One of the simplest things to make for dinner, is a juicy, roasted chicken... Without buying the ready made from the grocery. Here is a simple recipe to get a crispy, yummy and delicious Chicken Prepared and cooked in less than 2 hours! Even better, you can prepare the night before, refrigerate in its buttery marinade, ready to put in the oven once you are almost famished! 

Here are some simple tips and ingredients I always use in order to have a great and easy juicy chicken.. Remember these are my favorites but you can always alter with what you have in your fridge.. No need to constantly buy new ingredients to cook a wonderful supper, those are main ingredients you should have by your side.

Before starting, always rinse your chicken with cold water, salt and lemon. Rub the salt and lemon inside out and in the cavity then rinse with cold water. Dab with paper towel in order for your marinade to stick to your chicken and get crispy. 

Set aside and prep all your ingredients, cause once you start... you'll get filthy dirty and won't be able to grab anything around! don't forget.. the best tools are your hands so get in there!

Items to prepare:

Set oven at 425f

Deep Roster Pan no lid 

Basting brush

Garlic press 

Small saucepan for gravy

Mesh small strainer/sifter

* Total cooking time should be approx 1h15 to 1h30 set at 2 temperatures (may vary based on the size of the Chicken)

Ingredients:

Whole Chicken approx 1.3 kg

1/4 cup butter soften at room temperature in a small bowl

6-8 cloves of garlic 

1/8 tsp ground cloves

1/4 tsp dry rosemary

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp ground pepper 

Veggies to add but can be altered: 

1 Onion in quarts 

3 Nantaise carrots preferably

4 Russet potatoes preferably 

Gravy

Chicken juices from roasting pan

1/4 cup wine red preferably

1 tsp Balsamic vinegar 

1/2 tsp corn starch mixed in 50ml COLD water  

1 tsp butter 

1/3 cup any broth 

Lets get dirty:

1. Using the garlic press, crush the garlic in the butter and add all ingredients. mix with a fork or small whisk to get a nice creamy texture.

2. With your fingers, gently separate the skin from its meat without removing it. Apply the butter mixture in
the pockets rubbing everywhere. Glide your fingers in between, you will also be able to separate the skin from the drumsticks, as you want all the marinade to be inside and no only on top, that way the skin and the meat will absorb the goodness giving you a tender chicken. That is where the Magic happens. Continue rubbing the complete chicken inside and out with the mixture and place in the roasting pan. 

3. Sprinkle a dash of salt/pepper on the skin and place the Chicken in the oven, center rack and cook for approx. 25 minutes at 425 degrees f, basting with the butter once it melts, every 5 minutes.

4. After 25 min, lower the oven to 375 degrees f and continue cooking for 25 min basting a few times in order to keep the skin juicy and crispy without drying up. 

5. Once 25 min elapses, add chunks of carrots, onions and any other harder vegetable around the chicken,

sprinkle of a dash of salt and pepper on vegetables and continue cooking for 10 min, then add your potatoes, cooking for another 15-20 min checking the tenderness of the potatoes. Once cooked to your liking, remover from the oven and let Chicken rest at room temperature on a wooden cutting board or plate, covered with aluminum for approx 5 minutes.

6. With a spatula, remove all vegetables into a separate bowl, and place the mesh strainer over the saucepan to strain the chicken juices. On high heat, reduce the drippings adding the wine, vinegar and salt/pepper to taste. You can add any other spices or flavored ingredients. Sometimes I put whole cloves, bay leaf or  even a dash of fish sauce and soy, it's elevates the flavors... 

Pour in the mixed corn starch water and reduce heat to medium. once the sauce thickens, add the butter and let simmer for a few minutes. Set aside and carve your chicken. (Corn starch needs to be mixed into cold water only in order not to clump. Once mixed, it becomes a cloudy water)

NOTE: You can prepare any marinade ahead of time, coating the chicken as mentioned above... Once you get use to the technique and easy recipe, you will never buy ready-made chicken again.

Serve with a simple salad with lemon & EVOO dressing, a great glass of wine  and you are done!!!

Hope you enjoy it and keep me posted!

Sincerely

T @ Stuffedfaces