On a Roll
Text: Diana Wemyss. Photographs: Diana Wemyss and Bruce Tuck. Article from the May 2014 issue of Food and Home Entertaining Magazine.
When it comes to supplying some SA’s top chefs with puff pastry, Mitzi Bell rises to the occasion.
At least four recipes use puff pastry on the menu at Franck Dangereux’s Foodbarn in Noordhoek in the Cape. The dishes might have different fancy French names, but chances are the puff pastry in these dishes – and any others that you might find at top Cape restaurants – comes from a small, one-woman home industry
Mitzi Bell, 39, wife of Cape Point Vineyards chef Clayton Bell, produces more than three tons of puff pastry a year. “The business is just me, myself and I,” says Silwood-trained Mitzi. A straight-talking farm girl, she grew up in Citrusdal, where her grandmother recently celebrated her 100th birthday and has embarked on writing her autobiography. Mitzi says she didn’t even know what an aubergine was when she signed on for her three-year cordon bleu cookery diploma.
Mitzi met Clayton when she went to work at Mountain Shadows Guesthouse in Paarl – she was a student and Clayton ran the guest house. “There was a house on the property where Clayton and a female staff member lived. She was away with the owners and a few guests on a bird safari, so when my mother rang to see how I was getting on, I told her that I was in a house all alone with an Englishman. ‘Well, lock your door, my darling’,” my mother advised. Good advice? Mitzi and Clayton have been married since 2000 and have two sons, aged 13 and 11.
Mitzi produces all that delicious pastry from a converted outbuilding on the rambling old property she and Clayton bought a couple of years ago and which they are slowly renovating. It was while working with Franck in the kitchen at La Colombe for 10 years that Mitzi first discovered her talent for pastry. The pastry the restaurant bought was “unreliable”, sometimes rising and sometimes not. Franck likes to remark wickedly that Mitzi could make anything rise.
“When my first son was born I decided to make pastry at home,” says Mitzi. She invested in a second-hand dough mixer and pastry roller, a large machine with two wings that fold up and down for storage.
Mitzi’s pastry business has grown steadily through word of mouth, via restaurateurs like Judy Badenhorst, Luke Dale-Roberts and Liz Wood, and restaurants that include Bistro Sixteen82, Hout Bay Manor, Eight at Spier Wine Farm, The River Café, Terroir and De Grendel… The list is a veritable who’s who of the local food world.
Mitzi arranges her pastry making around her busy schedule – as a mom she also needs to supervise homework, and ferry the boys to school and afternoon sports. “I love having my own income and getting out and meeting people on my deliveries,” she says.
Very matter of fact about the success of her pastry, Mitzi says, “You just have to follow the required steps. There is no rising agent so you have to know how to fold and turn and roll the dough. The butter in the pastry melts in the cooking, and the steam causes the pastry to rise.” Mitzi sells her pastry in 2,5kg batches that are easy to freeze.
“People often ask how I stay so thin when I work with pastry all day,” she says. “I have to explain that I am not a pastry chef; I just make pastry and don’t bake it, and I don’t eat loads of pies.” That said, she has started a line of frozen free-range pies “to help stressed working moms – healthy meat and chicken pies that can be popped straight into the oven”.
To order Mitzi’s pastry and pies, contact her on 021-785-4380; 084 366 1446 or claytonbell@cybersmart.co.za. NB. One week’s notice is required for orders.
Mitzi’s puff pastry
Makes 1,4kg A LITTLE EFFORT 2 hrs
The flavour combinations
500g cake flour
pinch of salt
500g butter, firm but not hard
300ml ice water
15ml (1 tbsp) fresh lemon juice
How to do it
1. Sift the flour and salt into a bowl and blend in 120g of the butter with your fingertips or a pastry cutter. Add sufficient water and lemon juice to bind into a pliable dough. Turn out onto a lightly floured work surface and lightly knead until smooth.
2. Shape the pastry into a round and cut a cross in the top to about half its depth. Open out the resulting 4 flaps and roll them out until the centre is about 4 times as thick as the flaps. Shape the remaining butter to fit the centre of the dough and fold over the flaps envelope-style. Seal the ends with your fingertips.
3. Roll out the dough on a floured work surface, shaping it into a 30 x 20cm rectangle, using quick, short strokes. Fold the dough in 3. Wrap the pastry in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 20 minutes. Before rolling again, turn the open seam of the dough facing to the left. After each rolling, give your pastry half a turn so that the seam faces to your left.
4. Roll and fold the pastry into 3 as before, cover and rest. Repeat the rolling and folding a total of 6 times. Leave the dough to chill for at least 30 minutes before using it. Puff pastry should rise at least 6 times its height when baked.
Mitzi’s top tips
- Keep the pastry cold and firm, and covered to prevent drying and cracking.
- Always roll the pastry in one direction until you have finished all the folding and turning. Once finished, you can roll it in all directions to get your final product.
- When you cut shapes, always use a sharp knife and a pressing down movement. You need a clean cut for the layers to separate while baking.
- Egg wash the top of the pastry only and not the sides.
- Bake at a high heat (220°C). You can decrease the oven temperature if the pastry browns too quickly.
Beetroot tart with goat’s cheese mousse
From chef Luke Dale-Roberts at The Test Kitchen, Cape Town
Serves 12 A LITTLE EFFORT
1 hr 35 mins + 4 hrs setting
The flavour combinations
Goat’s Cheese Mousse
150g goat’s cheese
150ml white wine
3 (6g) gelatine leaves
300ml whipped cream
Beetroot filling
4 medium beetroots, boiled and peeled
5ml (1 tsp) sugar
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
olive oil
12 discs of puff pastry, rolled 0,2cm thick and 10cm in diameter
2 egg yolks, beaten
To Serve
olive oil
24 capers
6 black olives, pitted and sliced
12 garlic cloves, roasted with skin on
a handful of chives, chopped
1 small punnet Rosa tomatoes, sliced in half
12-16 sprigs fresh thyme
balsamic vinegar, to drizzle
How to do it
1. Preheat the oven to 165°C.
2. For the mousse, blend the goat’s cheese in a food processor.
3. Heat the wine and gelatine in a pot over medium heat. Reduce to two-thirds. Pour wine into the goat’s cheese and continue blending. Fold in the cream to combine.
4. Line 12 egg cups with plastic wrap and pour the mousse into the egg cups. Set aside in the fridge for 4 hours to set.
5. For the filling, chop the 2 beetroots very finely. Combine with the sugar, salt, pepper and a dash of olive oil.
6. Place a small mound of beetroot mix in the centre of each puff pastry disc. Brush the edges with beaten egg yolks. Slice the remaining 2 beetroots and fan the slices on top of the beetroot mix mound to create a flower effect. Season with salt and bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes.
7. Remove the beetroot tarts from the oven. Place in the centre of each plate. Unmould the goat’s cheese mousse. Place in the centre of the tart and allow to melt slightly. Garnish with a swirl of olive oil and serve with a few of the capers, black olives, roasted garlic, chives, tomatoes, thyme and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar.
Flash-fried escargots and braised fennel on puff pastry with Pernod Beurre Blanc
From Franck Dangereux at The Foodbarn, Noordhoek
Serves 4 A LITTLE EFFORT 30 mins
The flavour combinations
Fennel
olive oil, for frying
2 small fennel bulbs, bruised,
halved and thinly sliced, and leaves discarded
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Croûte (Pastry Case)
4 x 8cm squares of puff pastry
1 egg yolk, beaten
Escargots (Snails)
olive oil
15ml (1 tbsp) butter
2 dozen snails, tinned or frozen,
or prepare your own (see F&HE website)
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
15ml (1 tbsp) garlic, crushed pinch of fresh thyme leaves
Beurre Blanc
3 small shallots, peeled and finely chopped
chopped
60ml (1/4 cup) white wine vinegar
120ml dry white wine
60ml (1/4 cup) cream
180g butter, cut into cubes
To serve
25ml Pernod
handful fresh chervil leaves, washed
How to do it
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C.
2. For the fennel, heat a little olive oil in a small non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Add the fennel and season. Toss and fry gently without allowing the fennel to colour. Add about 1cm of water to cover the base of the pan. Reduce the heat and cook slowly until all the water has evaporated. The fennel slices will then start to fry again. When done, the fennel should feel like cooked potato; if not, add a little more water, allow to evaporate and test again. Season and set aside.
3. For the croûte, place the pastry squares on a baking tray, brush each square with egg yolk and bake, about 20 minutes. When cooked, remove from the oven and separate each square into a base and lid.
4. For the snails, heat a good dash of olive oil and the butter in a very large frying pan. When bubbling and hot, add the snails, season with salt and pepper, add the garlic and thyme leaves, and toss until the garlic smells very fragrant, 4-5 minutes. Remove from heat.
5. For the beurre blanc, heat the shallots, vinegar and white wine in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and reduce until all the liquid has evaporated. Add cream and bring back to a simmer. Gradually whisk in the butter, one cube at a time, until the sauce has emulsified. Set aside.
6. To serve, stir the Pernod into the warm beurre blanc. Place a pastry base on each plate and top with hot fennel slices. Spoon snails on top of the fennel, drizzle generously with the beurre blanc, scatter with chervil leaves and cover with the puff pastry lid. Serve immediately.
Puff pastry with figs, caramelised shallots, Gorgonzola and walnuts
From chef Ian Bergh at De Grendel Restaurant, Durbanville
Serves 4 A LITTLE EFFORT 1 hr
The flavour combinations
4 x 80g puff pastry discs, chilled
2 egg yolks, beaten
60ml (1/4 cup) shallots, chopped and caramelised in a pan with a dash of olive oil on very low heat for 30 – 40 minutes
16 baby purple figs, quartered
60ml (1/4 cup) Gorgonzola, crumbled
4 small bunches baby herb salad mix
30ml (2 tbsp) balsamic glaze
60ml (1/4 cup) extra virgin olive oil
60ml (1/4 cup) walnuts, crushed
How to do it
1. Preheat the oven to 200°C.
2. Place the puff pastry discs on a well-greased baking tray and prod the middle of each disc with a fork.
3. Brush each disc with egg yolk, including the rim. Spoon caramelised shallots over each disc, followed by the figs and Gorgonzola. Bake in preheated oven until golden and cooked through, about 10 minutes.
4. Serve immediately with the salad mix drizzled with the balsamic glaze, olive oil and topped with the walnuts.
Chicken and mushroom with tarragon cream sauce in puff pastry
From The Gardener’s Cottage Restaurant, Cape Town
Serves 4 A LITTLE EFFORT 40 mins
The flavour combinations
Tarrogon Cream Sauce
1 small onion, finely chopped 1 garlic clove
1 heaped tsp dried tarragon
125ml (1/2 cup) white wine
500ml (2 cups) chicken stock
30g butter
30ml (2 tbsp) flour
100ml fresh cream
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1,4kg puff pastry sheet
2 egg yolks, beaten
30ml (2 tbsp) sesame seeds
Filling
3-4 chicken breasts, butterflied, cut into strips and sauteed in butter and oil
1 punnet sliced mushrooms of choice, sautéed
seasonal vegetables, to serve
How to do it
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C.
2. For the tarragon cream sauce, saute the onion and garlic in a pan over medium heat. Add the tarragon and wine, and reduce. Add the chicken stock.
3. Melt the butter in a pan over medium heat. Add the flour and stir to a paste using a whisk.
4. Add the flour and butter paste to the sauce to thicken it. Blend in the fresh cream and season. If necessary, add more stock.
5. Cut the puff pastry sheet into 8 equal squares and cut each square into 2 triangles so you are left with 16 triangles.
6. Brush the top of the puff pastry triangles with the egg yolk and sprinkle over the sesame seeds. Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown and well puffed, about 20 – 25 minutes.
7. To assemble, layer the chicken, sauce and mushrooms on top of a puff pastry triangle and repeat. Serve with seasonal vegetables of your choice.
Phil Mansergh’s croissant breakfast
From chef Phil Mansergh at The Cape Farmhouse Restaurant
Serves 4 EASY 45 mins
The flavour combinations
8 x 0,2cm thick puff pastry discs,
8 – 10cm in diameter
1 egg, beaten
Tahini Yoghurt Dressing
30ml (1 tbsp) lemon juice
5ml (1 tsp) tahini paste
100ml Greek style yoghurt
To serve
200g haloumi, sliced and grilled
4 tomatoes, sliced and grilled
160g button mushrooms, sautéed
40g fresh rocket
60ml (4 tbsp) mixed sesame seeds
How to do it
1. Preheat the oven to 220°C. Line 2 baking trays with baking paper.
2. Brush the top of the puff pastry discs with the egg yolks. Bake in the preheated oven, about 17 minutes, then decrease the oven temperature to 190°C and bake for a further 2 minutes until they are evenly golden brown. Remove them from the oven and leave on the tray for another 10 minutes.
3. To make the tahini yoghurt dressing, mix together the lemon juice, tahini paste and yoghurt.
4. To serve, place a puff pastry disc on a plate and layer with the haloumi, tomatoes, mushrooms and rocket. Drizzle with the tahini yoghurt dressing & and top with another puff pastry disc. Sprinkle with sesame seeds to finish.
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