Culinary Tip of the Week: Thanksgiving Pies
Savory Cranberry Tartlets
(Can be used as an appetizer or accompaniment to savory holiday foods.)

HERB PASTRY:
2 cups flour
¾ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. pepper
3 tsp. fresh thyme or 1 tsp. dried (may substitute another herb)
¼ lb. unsalted butter
4 TBS lard
5 - 6 TBS ice water

Combine the dry ingredients in a food processor and pulse a few times to incorporate. Add cold butter in chunks and process until the butter is the size of peas.

Sprinkle the cold water into the food processor a little at a time and process until the dough just comes together. Remove dough and wrap loosely in plastic and chill minimum of half an hour.

CRANBERRY COMPOTE FILLING:
½ cup vodka or orange liqueur
1 cup water
½ cup sugar
2 TBS grated lemon rind
Dash cinnamon
3 cups cranberries

In a saucepan, mix vodka, water, sugar, lemon rind, and cinnamon. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and add the cranberries. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until compote is thick (1 hour and 15 minutes). Let cool to room temperature.

TO ASSEMBLE:

Roll pastry out to ⅛ inch thick between two pieces of plastic wrap. Peel off top sheet of plastic and invert pastry onto lightly floured board. Remove remaining plastic. Cut rounds of dough with cookie cutter (depending on size of tartlet tins). Press dough rounds gently into buttered tartlet tins. Place tins on a baking sheet. Prick pastry with fork. Chill 30 minutes. Bake the tart shells for 8 minutes at 400ºF. Remove from oven. Place cranberry compote in each shell. Bake at 350ºF for 15 - 20 minutes until pastry is golden. Cool slightly. Remove from tart pans. Serve garnished with a sprig of fresh thyme.