![\"Strawberry](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.amyglaze.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/DSC_0330.jpg\" "\\"Strawberry")
<\/a><\/p>\nStrawberry Rhubarb Pie<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
I use the same basic French p\u00e2te bris\u00e9e<\/em> pastry recipe for everything whether it’s pie, quiche, \u00a0tart\u00a0or quoi<\/em>. It’s basically a half-fat to half-flour ratio.<\/p>\n I know lard pies are trendy in SF right now and I’m probably going to have my handlebar mustache shaved off and my ‘fixe’ bicycle stolen for saying this, but I don’t like the aftertaste of lard or Crisco because it sticks to my tongue and I feel like I need a knife to scrape it off. Who wants to comb their tongue after a great dessert? I like the flakiness and texture animal fats and hydrogenated fats can provide, but still, I’m all butter baby \u2013 all the way.<\/p>\n In a nutshell (or tart shell \u2013 ba, dum, dum) p\u00e2te bris\u00e9e<\/em>\u00a0is an un-leavened dough that does not rise significantly. The flakiness\u00a0comes from the process of rubbing fat into flour until it resembles cornmeal \u2013 and I always prefer to do this by hand when possible\u2013 then adding a little bit of water to bring it all together. The dough is kneaded a few times (known as frissage<\/em> in French) and then allowed to rest in the fridge so the gluten strands relax and quit lengthening before rolling out and baking to golden deliciousness.<\/p>\n In France, for the recipe\u00a0p\u00e2te sucr\u00e9e\u00a0<\/em>which is a sweetened shortcrust, you add an egg too. I have yet to find the need for a sweetened pie crust \u2013 I prefer the filling to be the sweet part \u2013 but there are variations to this basic recipe.<\/p>\n And speaking of variations: I cook on farms and I use a hard red wheat flour milled onsite that is high in protein and VERY low in gluten which is great for pastry (and not so great for bread). It can be tricky to work with because it absorbs liquid at a slower rate and it’s not as finely ground as store bought All-Purpose. But, I strongly prefer the flavor and the rustic crumbly appearance and texture.<\/p>\n If you are using flour like this then use the recipe below. If you are using store bought All-Purpose flour (and my favorite is Guisto’s Organic \u2013 they also have amazing pizza ’00’ flour) then up the flour amount by 1\/4 cup.<\/p>\n And, if you happen to be driving along the gorgeous coastal highway 1 and you find yourself in Pescadero. Stop by Pie Ranch’s<\/a> farm stall in their beautiful old barn and pick up a slice of pie made from this amazing flour. You can buy flour too and just picked produce and farm fresh eggs!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"