"OhSojourner" > wrote in message
...
> Hello,
>
> Years ago, my grandmother used to bake what was like a cross between a pie
and
> a tart, using pie filling sandwiched between two rounds of pastry with an
open
> hole on top. Unfortunately she's passed away, but this year I tried
making
> some of these tarts on my own. I tried using a regular pie crust recipe
and
> that didn't work. I tried asking my relatives if they had the recipe for
the
> dough, and they gave me only a vague measure-by-eye summary, and that
didn't
> work, either -- it came out too bland-tasting. The only thing they seemed
to
> remember was that vinegar was used as an ingredient.
>
> From what I remember, the tart pastry was similar to a pie crust, only
softer,
> chewier, and more flavorful. ...Perhaps sort of like kolache pastry (only
not
> puffed or layered) -- something that would enhance the flavor of the
filling.
> Would anyone have a recipe for a pastry that would match this description?

For tarts, you want a pate sucree recipe. Basically, flour, sugar, butter
and egg yolks. Check Google. A standard recipe would be:
2 1/2 cups AP flour
3 T sugar
2 sticks unslated butter (1 cup), cut into small pieces
2 large egg yolks
1/4 cup ice water

Put the flour, sugar and a pinch of salt into a food processor fitted with
the steel blade. Pulse a few times to mix. Add the butter and pulse about 10
times, 1 second each pulse. It should look like coarse meal.

With the processor runnng, slowly add the ice water. Finally, drizzle in the
egg yolk. Continue processing until the dough holds together. Divide in half
and chill at least an hour. This should be good for 2 8-10 inch tarts.

The above is from FoodTv.com.

P.S. My 'kolache' are not puffed or layered.

P.P.S. Consider painting the dough with a complimentary jam before adding
the filling. And sprinkle the dough with granulated sugar before baking.