Chef/Owner Jérôme Boulanger
Le Croissant
Buttery, flaky crust surrounds tender, wine-soaked meat. A classic from the Lorraine region. The pastry can be purchased at Le Croissant.
Ingredients
Pastry
2 cups flour
3/4 tsp salt
4 tsp butter, melted
1/2 cup water
2/3 cup butter, softened
Filling
400g pork shoulder
1 Tbsp salt
2/3 cup good quality, dry white wine
1 bunch parsley, chopped
pinch grated nutmeg
pepper to taste
1 egg, beaten
Method
Pastry
- In a large bowl, mix flour, salt, melted butter and water.
- Knead the pastry until all liquid is absorbed. Chill for 15 min.
- Form pastry into a ball and score the ball with an X.
- Pull out each section of the X so the dough forms a cross.
- Roll out the cross, so the four arms are four times thinner than the centre.
- Spread some soft butter over the centre and fold the arms of the cross in, one after another to form a square.
- Roll the dough to form a rectangle with a length three times longer than the width.
- Fold the pastry in thirds.
- Turn 90˚ and repeat step 8.
- Wrap in plastic. Chill 1/2 hour.
- Repeat steps 7-10 twice more.
Filling
- Remove fat from pork and cube.
- In a medium bowl, combine remaining ingredients, except egg, with pork and chill 12 hours.
Assembly
- Roll the pastry into two equal rectangles a couple of mm thick.
- Place a spoonful of meat in the centre of one rectangle.
- Brush egg on the pastry around the meat. Top with the second rectangle. Press around the edges to seal.
- Score pastry in decorative patterns and brush with egg. Place on baking sheet. Bake for 25 min at 350˚F.
Yield 6 servings