Pastry Dough

Photo: flickr user balise42

Ingredients

3 cups pie & pastry blend flour* or King Arthur

Unbleached All-Purpose Flour

2 rounded tablespoons Lora Brody Dough

Relaxer(r)* OR 2 tablespoons Baker's

Special Dry Milk*

1 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon salt

cup cream cheese (4 ounces)

cup lard or vegetable shortening

cup cold water (¼ to ⅓)

Preparation

Place the flour, Dough Relaxeacups of mini-muffin pans to make mini-quiche-type appetizers, to form crescent-shaped turnovers, or to form "purses" (see following recipe). To make mini-quiches or turnovers, dust a clean work surface and one piece of the dough with flour. Roll the dough 1/8-inch thick. Cut into 3-inch rounds. If you're making mini-quiches, press the rounds into the cups of a mini-muffin pan, and spoon approximately 1 tablespoon filling into each cup. If you're making turnovers, just leave them flat on your work surface. Spoon approximately 1 tablespoon of filling on each piece of pastry. Fold over and pinch or press edges together to form half-moon turnovers. R

Place the turnovers on an ungreased baking sheet, and snip a small hole in the center of each one, for the steam to escape. Bake the mini-quiches or turnovers in a preheated 375F oven for 15 to 18 minutes, or until they're lightly browned. Serve them warm.

Appetizers made with this dough may be frozen either baked or unbaked. To bake unbaked turnovers direct from the freezer, allow an extra 5 minutes. To reheat baked, frozen turnovers, cover with foil and reheat at 350F for 10 to 15 minutes. Uncover the turnovers for the last few minutes, so that they'll become crisp.

Yield: dough for approximately 24 turnovers or tarts.