Dough

It's important to make this tender fresh pasta into pansoti as soon as you have cut the dough into squares: The squares dry out quickly and become difficult to seal.

This recipe originally accompanied epi:recipeLink="101888"Plum Pine-Nut Tart</epi:recipeLink>.

Active time: 10 min Start to finish: 1 1/4 hr

For extra convenience, make this a week ahead and freeze. Thaw in the refrigerator.

This is my favorite pie crust. It took several years and over fifty tries to get it just right and is the soul of this book. It is unlike any other cream cheese pie crust because, in addition to being tender, it is also flaky. In fact, it is very similar in texture to epi:recipeLink="101858"Basic Flaky Pie Crust</epi:recipeLink> � almost as flaky but a little softer and more tender, and it browns more when baked, resulting in a rich golden color. The addition of cream cheese makes it even easier to prepare than basic flaky pie crust because you never have to guess how much water to add, and it gives it a flavor so delicious it is great to eat just by itself without filling! It is well worth purchasing or making pastry flour, as it will result in a more tender crust.

Any size mini-muffin pan can be used to bake the tartlets, but the nonstick variety works best.

(PATE SUCREE) Makes plenty of dough for the Walnut Tartlets , Apple Galette or Apricot Tart .

Resist the temptation to halve this recipe; it would yield a very small piece of dough, which can be difficult to roll and fold. This recipe is an accompaniment for Vinegar Pie.

Makes enough for 1 spotted dick or jam roly-poly You can order ground fresh beef suet from your butcher. The suet will not be rendered; the process of rendering suet is a simple one and will yield a lighter, cleaner-tasting pudding.

This dough is part of the recipe for Robiola and Truffle Pizza .

This recipe can be used for Praline Pecan Tarts Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less but requires additional unattended time.

The trick to a successful pastry dough is to handle it as little as possible and to keep it cool. For 2 pies, you will need to make 2 batches of pastry dough (do not double the recipe).

The key to this crisp, flaky pastry is to handle the dough as little as possible and to keep it cool.

A terrific all-purpose pie crust from Elinor Klivans. Use it during the holiday season and all year long.