TOMATO BASIL PUFF PASTRY TARTLETS Recipe

How to make it

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• Note: This recipe uses half of the puff pastry dough. This dough will keep in the freezer for at least three months. Wrap dough tightly in plastic wrap, then seal in zipper lock bag. Thaw by placing in refrigerator overnight. Illustrations for shaping the tartlets and other forms can be found in the related Illustrated How to Guide, "Making Puff Pastries."
• 1. Place flour in workbowl of food processor fitted with steel blade; add the 4 tablespoons butter; pulse until butter is absorbed, about 10 to 12 pulses of 1 second each
• 2. Add remaining butter; pulse once or twice to distribute. Dissolve salt in water and add to flour mixture; pulse 3 or 4 times, until dough just starts to form a rough ball (see illustration 1, below) - do not overprocess. If mixture remains very dry, add a teaspoon of water at a time and pulse again.
• 3. Turn dough onto floured work surface and shape into rough rectangle, then place on top of sheet of well-floured plastic wrap measuring at least 12-by-18 inches. Lightly flour top of dough and cover with another sheet of wrap. Press dough with rolling pin to flatten, then roll back and forth several times with rolling pin to make 12-by-18-inch rectangle of dough.
• 4. Peel away plastic wrap and invert dough onto floured work surface, long side facing you. Peel away second piece of wrap. Fold top third of dough down and bottom third up ((see illustration 2) to make 4-by-18-inch rectangle, then roll up dough from one end (illustration 2). Divide dough in half, press each half into a square, wrap in plastic and refrigerate 1 hour or until firm. Reserve second square for another use, (see note for freezing instructions).
• 5. On a floured surface, roll remaining dough square into a 15-by-10-inch rectangle. Cut into 3- to 3 1/2-inch disks, squares or diamonds. Arrange on parchment lined cookie sheet, about 2 inches apart on all sides and prick with a fork.
• 6. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Top each dough shape with a thin slice of tomato, season with salt and pepper, and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle each with minced basil, then with the parmesan cheese. Bake until golden and crisp, 25-30 minutes. Cool slightly, serve warm.
• Making Quickest Puff Pastry: 1. Use a food processor to mix the dough. After several pulses, the dough will start to gather into a rough ball, ready to be worked. 2. After forming the dough into a rough rectangle measuring about 12-by-18 inches, fold the top third of the dough down and bottom third up to form a rectangle approximately 4-by-18 inches. 3. Starting at one end, roll the dough up like a jelly roll.