-PASTRY-
2 1/2 c All-purpose flour
1 c Solid vegetable shortening
1 ts Salt (optional)
1/4 c Ice water
FILLING
3 Medium sized eggs, at room
Temperature
1/2 c Superfine sugar
1/2 c Butter at room temperature
3/4 c Ground almonds
2 tb (Heaping) good-quality
Strawberry preserves
PASTRY: Measure out the flour and put to one side. In a large mixing bowl,
place the fat, water and 3 heaped tablespoons of the flour you set to one
side. Beat vigorously with a wooden spoon until all is well blended. The
carefully add in the rest of the flour, rubbing the mixture between your
fingertips until it all sticks together. You can add up to 2 tablespoons of
water to help, but no more. Remember that if you overwork the pastry at
this stage it will become tough and shrink when cooked. Combine into a
ball, cover with a damp tea towel and place in the refrigerator. Preheat
the oven to 400F. Beat the eggs and sugar together until creamy (this
takes about 3 minutes). Add the butter in small pieces, and the almonds,
and continue to beat for another minute until all is combined. Set aside.
On a lightly floured working surface, roll out the pastry into a circle so
that it’s 3 inches larger than the baking tin, and about 1/8″ thick.
Lightly grease the tin, making sure you smear a very thin film all over the
inside. Now transfer the pastry to the bin by carefully rolling it around
the rolling pin. Be careful, it’s not always easy; but if the pastry
breaks a bit, don’t worry – you can do a repair job when it’s in the tin.
Now with your hands fashion it to the inside of the tin, making sure it
reaches inside the corners. Cut off the excess pastry with a knife. You
will hae pastry left over; roll it into a ball and freeze for next time. In
a small saucepan gently melt the jam so it will spread more easily.
Distribute the jam evenly over the pastry in the tin and then cover the
preserve with the egg mixture. Now bake in the center of your oven for
25-30 minutes. It’s done when the filling has set and is a mid to deep
brown all over. If it starts to brown on one side and not the other, turn
the pie halfway through cooking (do this quickly or all the heat will
escape). This means that you’ll have to keep an eye on it while it’s in
the oven. You can serve this with whipped heavy cream – it tastes not
unlike pumpkin pie, but with an almond flavor.
From
Yields
6 Servings