Strawberry Breakfast Pastries

To make pastry:

1) Stir flour, salt and sugar in a large bowl with a whisk or fork.
2) Add butter pats. Blend in butter until texture resembles coarse corn meal. To do this you can use a fork, pastry blender or your hands. (I started with a pastry blender, but switched to my hands – worked much better.)
3) Add ice water 1 Tablespoon at a time, mixing with your hands between each addition, until dough clumps together. You may use 3- 4 Tablespoons – it varies depending on the temperature and texture of your butter, moisture in the air, etc.
4) Divide dough into two balls. Wrap them in plastic wrap and chill at least one hour.

To make filling:

1) While pastry is chilling out, make your filling. Combine all filling ingredients in a medium saucepan. Cook on medium heat for 5 minutes; it may come to a soft boil – just be sure to stir often.
2) Taste – if needed, add another Tablespoon of sugar. Once strawberries are soft (and sufficiently sweet!) remove from heat and let cool completely.
3) Before using, take a fork or potato masher and smash strawberries until pulpy. Set aside.

To make pastries:

1) Remove one ball of dough from fridge and remove wrapping. On a slightly floured surface, carefully roll dough. It is easier to work with if you keep thickness between 1/8 and 1/4 inch.
2) Using a pizza cutter or knife, cut into 3-inch wide strips. Then cut across the strips to make rectangles – mine were approximately 4 x 3 inches. (I contemplated breaking out my biscuit cutters and making round pastries! This will be my method next time as it would be faster!)
3) Spoon 2 Tablespoons of filling in the middle of pastry sections; lift a rectangle and place on top of filling, being careful not to split the dough or smoosh your filling out the sides!
4) Press edges with fingers to seal, then press with a fork. 5) Transfer to a baking sheet coated with non-stick spray.

*Bake pastries for 15 minutes at 375 degrees – until edges are slightly browned and pastry is crisp.

* Remove from oven and let cool in pan for 3-5 minutes before removing and placing on wire cooling rack. You can dust with powdered sugar once cooled. Or make a simple powdered sugar glaze and drizzle on top… which is what I did!