Dough for savoury pastry

The recipes on this page are meant for 500 gram flour or meal, which will make between 750 and 1000 gram dough, depending on the recipe and the desired firmness of the dough.
Index of recipes with dough on Coquinaria

Puff pastry with egg

For about 2 pounds of dough.

500 gr (4¼ cup) flour
2 tsp salt
125 gr ½ cup) cold butter
2 eggs
1½ dl (⅔ cup) cold water
1 Tbsp vinegar

Preparation

Mix salt and flour. Cut the butter to pieces the size of a pea into the flour with two knives. Stir the eggs with water and vinegar, add to the flour and butter. Mix shortly with a fork. Pour the contents of the bowl on the worktop, and shape the mass into a ball with floured hands, without kneading. The pieces of butter must remain visible.
Wrap the dough in plastic foil and let it rest for at elast one hour in the refrigerator.
Remove the dough from the refrigerator half an hour before continuing, because otherwise the dough may be too firm to roll out.
Roll the dough out on a worktop sprinkled with flour. Fold the sheet in three, roll out again, fold it again. Now roll out the dough to a sheet of 1/2 centimeter (about 1/4 inch) thick, and make the pasty.

Simple puff pastry

For about 2 pounds of dough.

500 gr (4¼ cup) flour
2 tsp salt
250 gr (1 cup) cold butter
2½ dl (1 cup) cold water

Preparation

Mix salt and flour. Cut the butter to pieces the size of a pea into the flour with two knives. Stir the eggs with water and vinegar, add to the flour and butter. Mix shortly with a fork. Pour the contents of the bowl on the worktop, and shape the mass into a ball with floured hands, without kneading. The pieces of butter must remain visible.
Wrap the dough in plastic foil and let it rest for at elast one hour in the refrigerator.
Remove the dough from the refrigerator half an hour before continuing, because otherwise the dough may be too firm to roll out.
Roll the dough out on a worktop sprinkled with flour. Fold the sheet in three, roll out again, fold it again. Now roll out the dough to a sheet of ½ centimeter (about ¼ inch) thick, and make the pasty.

Simple shortcrust

For about 1.6 pounds of dough.

500 gr (4¼ cup) flour
2 tsp salt
150 gr (⅔ cup) melted butter
1½ dl (⅔ cup) water

Preparation

Mix salt and flour. Melt the butter on low heat or in the microwave. The butter most not turn brown. Stir the water in the liquid butter. Make a hole in the flour, pour the liquid into it. knead until you have an elastic ball of dough. Let it rest for half an hour (not necessarily in the refrigerator).
Roll out the dough to a sheet of the desired thickness and drape into a mould or tin, or form a pasty by hand.

Firm shortcrust

For all kinds of pies, especially when not using a mould
For about 1.5 pounds of dough.

500 gr (4¼ cup) flour
2 tsp salt
90 gr (3 oz.) lard
1¾ dl (¾ cup) boiling water (use 2 Tbsp for slightly less firm dough)

Preparation

Mix salt and flour. melt the lard in the boiling water. Make a hole in the flour, pour the liquid into it. knead until you have an elastic ball of dough (use a wooden spoon at first if the dough is too hot to handle). With this dough you can make raised pasties, it is very firm. You can also use it in e.g. a springform, but if you wrap the dough around a large tin or other cylindric form, you can decorate the sides of the pasty.

Medieval shortcrust

Some medieval pastry recipes mention ‘dark pasty dough’. Contemporary recipes for dough are rare. Below is a recipe I made up.
For about 1.7 pounds of dough.

350 gr (3 cup) whole wheat meal
150 gr rye flour
2 tsp salt
90 gr lard
2½ dl (1 cup) boiling water
½ tsp cloves
black pepper to taste

Preparation

Mix salt, spices and wheat and rye meal. Melt lard in the boiling water. Make a hole in the flour, pour in the water with lard. Stir with a wooden spoon and knead (if it is still hot, use a spoon here also, or the kitchen machine) until the dough is firm, smooth and elastic. This dough can be used to form high pasties without a mould, it is very firm.

Rich dough for medieval pies

This dough can be used for a richer crust, because of the egg. The lard can be replaced by butter or suet.
For about 2 pounds of dough.

500 gr (4¼ cup) flour
250 gr (1 cup) lard
1½ dl (⅔ cup) water
1 egg
1 tsp salt

Preparation

Mix flour and salt. Grate the cold lard coarsely and mix with the flour. Rub it with your fingers to a crumbly mass. Beat the egg with the water and add to the flour-lard mixture. Knead lightly, but take care not to work the dough too much, it must remain a little crumbly. When the dough is too dry you can add some water, is it too wet, add some extra flour. Cover the dough and let it rest in a cool place for an hour before using it.

Recipes for dough for savoury pies
© Author Christianne Muusers