Advertisement
A pâte or pastry dough is a flour-based preparation that, when rolled out into a thin sheet and molded, acts as a container for a filling. (Do not confuse pâte with pâté, a more recognizable French term for baked ground meat preparations.) All pastry doughs are comprised of four basic ingredients: flour, water, fat, and salt. Occasionally a dough will also call for the addition of either a raw egg or a hard-cooked egg yolk. The proportions of the four basic ingredients and the method by which they are combined will determine the type of dough created. The word pâte can also refer to a batter (covered in Session 21), as well as to fresh pasta dough (pâte fraîches) and fresh noodle dough (pâte à nouilles).