This pastry recipe is used in several foods which I often make – quiche, pasties, pies etc.  There are no herbs in the pastry but you could easily add a teaspoon of finely chopped fresh or dried herbs at the start to add extra flavour.  The recipe is based upon one in a favourite cookbook of mine – Nourishing Traditions, by Sally Fallon.

Yoghurt Pastry Dough
1 cup plan whole yoghurt
1 cup (whole block – 250g) butter, softened
3 1/2 cups spelt flour (or wholewheat)
2 teaspoons quality rock salt or sea salt

This recipe makes enough for two quiches or a quiche and 12 muffin sized pies. I find it delicious, and hard to resist, even uncooked…

1. Cream yoghurt and butter together
2. Blend in flour and salt (and herbs if using)
3. Knead a little to form a tidy (albeit sticky) large ball of pastry dough
4. Place in a bowl and cover with a clean tea towel or similar
5. Place in a clean, warm place for 12 – 24 hours, this allows the yoghurt time to work on the flour and make it more easily digestible
6. Split the dough in two and roll out with a flour dusted rolling pin, on a floured cold surface or pastry cloth.
7. If using it to make a quiche or tart base then it is advisable to prebake it, shaped.  Place in a cold oven and set it to 180 degrees C. Bake in this warning oven for 30 minutes.