Quick Puff Pastry

Preparation

1. Step 1

   Beat the flour with the water and salt in an electric mixer just to mix a little. Add the butter, broken into pieces, and beat to mix a little. Do the rest of the mixing by hand.

2. Step 2

   Press out the dough and fold into a piece about 5 inches by 7 inches. Flour a board, rolling pin and top of the dough and roll out to a rectangle about 8 inches by 21 inches, about ⅛-inch thick.

3. Step 3

   The folding: Fold one-third of the dough over the other two-thirds and then fold the remaining third so that you have three layers. Press down, turn, flour and roll again into a 21-by-8-inch piece.

4. Step 4

   Fold in thirds again and refrigerate for a half hour.

5. Step 5

   Roll out again on a floured surface to form a piece 21 inches by 8 inches. Fold into a double fold. (Fold over dough so that the ends meet in the middle, then fold in half.) Repeat rolling and folding. Refrigerate for a half hour before rolling out to bake.

6. Step 6

   Beat the dough with the side of a rolling pin to about a thickness of 1/3inch. Roll out as thin as possible, about 1/32 of an inch thick, and place in a 10-by-15-inch baking pan, lined with parchment or wax paper. Trim any dough hanging over the edges. Prick all over with a fork and refrigerate for one or two hours, or overnight.

7. Step 7

   Transfer to a second 10-by-15-inch pan (pan cannot be chilled or pastry will not bake properly).

8. Step 8

   Bake at 250 degrees for about 30 minutes or until golden. Cool and cut off edges, crush the trimmings and set aside.

9. Step 9

   Cut into three lengthwise pieces.