AN ADVENTURE IN PASTRY

Despite the strange early spring, and the  not-so-spring April, the rhubarb is doing splendidly and is truly prolific, at least in my neighbors patch. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 This is my patch, which is lovely, especially with the vineyard in the background.  However, my rhubarb has struggled to grow for several years now.  I have moved part of this patch, and purchased some organic new plants, and moved them to my kitchen garden.  There I hope they will flourish. I recently did go to my neighbor's and pulled a nice batch. 

 

 

 

 

Here it is cut up and ready for cooking.  I had committed to bringing a dessert to an local event, and decided to make something I had never made before....rhubarb turnovers with the real classic butter layered dough.

...in the pot cooking.  Six cups of rhubarb, sugar (about 1 3/4 c.) a touch of cinnamon and some cornstarch.  Bring to a boil and simmer for 3-4 minutes, until tender.

In the mean time I made the dough.  Two c. organic all-purpose flour, 1 c. organic butter, divided.  Cut in 1/2 c. cold butter in the flour until the size of small peas. Divide the dough in half, roll into a 4" x 8" rectangle.  Cut half of the remaining butter into paper thin slices and lay over 2/3 of rectangle.  Fold top third of dough over butter, and then the lower third over that.  Roll again and again, until it measures about 8" x 4" and refrigerate.  Repeat with the other half of dough and butter.  After about 30 minutes in the frig remove and roll out into 16" x 16" square.  Cut into smaller squares.

...brush with egg/water mixture, cut into squares...

Put a spoonful of rhubarb (largish) onto each square...

...fold over into a triangle and seal with a fork...

...brush again with a mixture of egg and water...  Bake at 450 degrees about 17 minutes.

...just removed from the oven and looking and smelling good enough to eat...

...and added drizzle of powdered sugar/half and half, and not only do they look good enough to eat, I simply could not resist a still warm one.  MMMMMMMMM  I took them to the event, but am making a batch for us today!!!!