Discover Montersino’s Sandy Method Shortcrust Pastry
Today, I’m introducing you to a special method for making shortcrust pastry: Montersino’s Sandy Method. This recipe was introduced to me by my friend Cristina, who is also passionate about cooking. With its simplicity and delicacy, this technique will allow you to create crumbly cookies and delicious pies.
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- Difficulty: Easy
- Rest time: 3 Hours
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/3 cups butter
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 4 oz egg yolks
- 1 tsp vanilla extract (or 1/2 vanilla bean)
- 1 pinch salt
Tools
- Stand Mixer
Steps
Using a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, work the flour together with the butter, keeping both at a temperature of around 55°F. If you don’t have a stand mixer, work the dough by hand on a pastry board, following the same order of ingredients. Continue until the mixture resembles wet sand. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla extract, followed by the egg yolk and the pinch of salt. Stop mixing as soon as the eggs are well incorporated. Roll out the dough between two sheets of parchment paper, cover everything with plastic wrap, and let it rest in the refrigerator for at least 3 to 4 hours. This sandy method ensures a less compact and more crumbly shortcrust pastry.
The shortcrust pastry must be kept cold because heat can damage it. After taking it out of the refrigerator, it’s important to work it lightly with your hands on a floured surface, avoiding overhandling it to prevent overheating.
If the pastry becomes unmanageable due to overworking by hand, simply reform it into a dough ball, cover it with plastic wrap, and place it in the freezer for ten minutes.
After resting, with the help of a rolling pin, roll out the dough to a thickness of about 1/8 to 1/6 inch and shape your cookies or pies!
The baking times for this pastry are:
For cookies: in a static oven at 350°F for about 10-12 minutes
For pies: in a static oven at 350°F for about 30-40 minutes (it also greatly depends on the type of filling)
With this wonderful pastry, I created a bis-crostata for Easter and it was a huge success!
Storage and Tips
For the best preservation of the sandy method pastry, it is advisable to wrap it in plastic wrap and keep it in the refrigerator. It can last up to 5 days if stored correctly.
Alternatively, you can also freeze it wrapped in plastic wrap and store it in the freezer for several months. When needed, let it thaw in the refrigerator before using it.
