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Ian Webber’s unusual pastry

On a recent photoshoot at The Farmers Arms in Woolsery, we were introduced to Ian Webber's game-changing pastry recipe
Ian Webber's unusual pastry in a Foragers Fruit Tart

Neither puff, shortcrust or pâte sucrée, this unusually light pastry from Ian Webber at The Farmers Arms in north Devon forms the base of his autumn tart.

‘It’s great for both savoury pies and sweet tarts, and provides a nice rustic finish. If you’re after a little more sweetness, glaze the crusts then scatter with unrefined brown sugar,’ says Ian

woolsery.com

Makes    1 pastry case
  • Salted butter 240g, sliced lengthways
  • Water 120g
  • Plain flour 300g
  • Sharpham Organic Spelt, Emmer & Einkorn Heritage Flour 40g (plain flour can be substituted)
  • Cornish sea salt 1.5g
  1. Freeze the butter flat on parchment for 10 minutes.
  2. Freeze the water for 10 minutes.
  3. Sieve the flour onto the work surface as if you were making pasta, then scatter the salt over.
  4. Add the sliced butter to the flour and cover with flour.
  5. Roll the mix with a rolling pin – old fashioned thick-centred pins work well for this. Turn the mix, scrape the pin down, and repeat until the butter is evenly dispersed through the flour with some flecks of butter showing.
  6. Fold in the water, little by little, using a scraper.
  7. Bring the dough together without overworking it, then carefully shape and roll into a rectangle approximately 30cm by 15cm.
  8. Fold the top and bottom to the middle then fold in half. Turn the pastry 1¼ turns, then roll again to the same size. Repeat 3 times.
  9. Refrigerate – ideally overnight but for at least 1 or 2 hours.

Supported by

Indy Cafe Cookbook Volume 2

You will need

  • Salted butter 240g, sliced lengthways
  • Water 120g
  • Plain flour 300g
  • Sharpham Organic Spelt, Emmer & Einkorn Heritage Flour 40g (plain flour can be substituted)
  • Cornish sea salt 1.5g

Method

  1. Freeze the butter flat on parchment for 10 minutes.
  2. Freeze the water for 10 minutes.
  3. Sieve the flour onto the work surface as if you were making pasta, then scatter the salt over.
  4. Add the sliced butter to the flour and cover with flour.
  5. Roll the mix with a rolling pin – old fashioned thick-centred pins work well for this. Turn the mix, scrape the pin down, and repeat until the butter is evenly dispersed through the flour with some flecks of butter showing.
  6. Fold in the water, little by little, using a scraper.
  7. Bring the dough together without overworking it, then carefully shape and roll into a rectangle approximately 30cm by 15cm.
  8. Fold the top and bottom to the middle then fold in half. Turn the pastry 1¼ turns, then roll again to the same size. Repeat 3 times.
  9. Refrigerate – ideally overnight but for at least 1 or 2 hours.
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  • Salted butter 240g, sliced lengthways
  • Water 120g
  • Plain flour 300g
  • Sharpham Organic Spelt, Emmer & Einkorn Heritage Flour 40g (plain flour can be substituted)
  • Cornish sea salt 1.5g
  1. Freeze the butter flat on parchment for 10 minutes.
  2. Freeze the water for 10 minutes.
  3. Sieve the flour onto the work surface as if you were making pasta, then scatter the salt over.
  4. Add the sliced butter to the flour and cover with flour.
  5. Roll the mix with a rolling pin – old fashioned thick-centred pins work well for this. Turn the mix, scrape the pin down, and repeat until the butter is evenly dispersed through the flour with some flecks of butter showing.
  6. Fold in the water, little by little, using a scraper.
  7. Bring the dough together without overworking it, then carefully shape and roll into a rectangle approximately 30cm by 15cm.
  8. Fold the top and bottom to the middle then fold in half. Turn the pastry 1¼ turns, then roll again to the same size. Repeat 3 times.
  9. Refrigerate – ideally overnight but for at least 1 or 2 hours.

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