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1
It is important to roll out the puff pastry as thinly as you possibly can.
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2
It is easier to do so if you cut the block into four equal pieces and roll out each one separately.
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3
Dust the surface and the rolling pin with flour, and roll out the sheet of pastry, turning it over and dusting it with flour, until you can cut out 6 rounds with a 4-inch pastry cutter.
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4
Put the rounds in a pile and wrap the pile in plastic wrap.
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5
Do the same with the remaining pastry.
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6
Mix the filling ingredients to a paste.
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7
Put a tablespoon of the filling in the center of each round and bring the edges up together over the filling to make a half-moon shape.
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8
Seal the edges by pinching them very firmly together.
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9
A traditional way is to twist the edges making a scalloped effect; another is to press down the edges with the prongs of a fork.
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10
Moistening the edges with a finger dipped in water helps to make the pastry stick.
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11
Arrange the pies on sheets of foil on baking trays.
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12
Brush the tops with melted butter and bake in an oven preheated to 400F for about 15 minutes, or until they are puffed up and lightly golden.
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13
Let them cool before dusting with confectioners sugar.
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14
For a pine nut filling, blend 3 cups pine nuts in the food processor with 1 cup superfine sugar and 4 tablespoons orange blossom water.
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15
For a pistachio filling, blend 3 cups pistachios in the food processor with 1 cup superfine sugar and 4 tablespoons rose water (see page 7).
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16
For a walnut filling, blend 3 cups walnuts in the food processor with 1 cup sugar, the grated rind of 1 orange, and 4 tablespoons fresh orange juice.
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17
For the pastries in syrup, bring to the boil 1 1/4 cups water and 2 3/4 cups sugar with 1 tablespoon lemon juice.
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18
Lower the heat and simmer for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the sugar is completely dissolved.
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19
Let it cool and then chill it in the refrigerator.
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20
Make the pastries as in the above recipe, or with any of the fillings in the listed variations.
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21
Do not dust them with confectioners sugar but dip them in the cold syrup immediately after they come out of the oven.
