Pea
Pomponette
Makes 5 dozen
hors d'oeuvres
For the Pâte Brisée:
1 cup plus 3 tablespoons
all-purpose flour
6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
Pinch of salt
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1. Put the flour, butter, and salt in a food
processor and pulse until crumbly. Add the egg and pulse
just until moist curds forms—don’t overprocess.
Turn the dough out onto a work surface and knead it once
or twice to pull it together.
Flatten it into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate
for at least 1 hour. (Wrapped airtight, the dough can be
kept refrigerated for up to 2 days or frozen for up to a
month.) 2. Butter
and flour thirty 1 1/2-inch-round tartlet molds (if available
use nonstick molds); set aside. On a clean lightly floured
work surface, roll one disc of dough out to 1/8-inch thickness.
Using a 2-inch round cutter, cut out 30 circles of dough.
Press the dough into the bottom and against the sides
of the molds. Using a small paring knife, trim away any
excess dough. Place the molds on a baking sheet and refrigerate
the tartlet shells for 30 minutes.
3. Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350
degrees F.
4. Cut out thirty 2-inch rounds of parchment paper. Place
the rounds inside each mold and fill with dried beans
or pie weights. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, rotating the
pan halfway through the baking process. Do not allow the
dough to color. Place on a wire rack, cool completely,
and remove the beans or weights and parchment paper. Repeat
the process with the remaining dough.
For
the Pea Filling:
1/2 pound
assorted fresh peas and beans, such as English peas, fava
beans, sugar snap peas or snow peas
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 ounce Parmesan cheese
8 chives, chopped
1. Shell the English peas
and or fava beans if using. Thinly slice the sugar snap
peas and or snow peas if using.
2. Center a rack in the
oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
3. Bring a medium pot
of salted water to the boil. Cook the sugar snap peas
and snow peas for 3 minutes. Add the English peas and
cook for another 3 minutes. Put the fava beans in a strainer
or colander and lower into the boiling water; cook for
2 minutes. Lift out the strainer; drain the remaining
peas. Cool all the beans and peas under cold running water
and drain again. Remove the skins of the fava beans.
4. Put the peas, fava
beans and heavy cream in a blender and purée until
smooth, using a rubber spatula to scrape down the sides
as needed. Add the egg and yolk and mix until combined.
Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a 2-cup liquid
measure or other vessel with a pour spout.
5. Using a vegetable peeler,
shave the Parmesan into small strips and set aside.
6. Place the pre-baked
tartlet shells on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Fill
the tartlet shells with the pea filling. Bake until custard
is just set, 6 to 8 minutes. Cool slightly on a wire rack.
Sprinkle with the chopped chives and top with a piece
of shaved Parmesan. Can also be garnished with oven-dried
ham or sautéed Hon Shimeji or morel mushrooms.
Serve warm.
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Pea
Pomponette
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